15th May 2012

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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23 20 7Gulf states 8 delay thorny Gulf NGOs demand union delay • Iran MPs blast plan

RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders and officials pose for a group picture on the sidelines of a summit in the Saudi capital yesterday. Seen (from left) are Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, Kuwaiti Amir HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Omani Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmud Al-Said, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, his Bahraini counterpart King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa and Emirati Vice President and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. — AFP

10-year prison term for tweeter upheld

Ex-premier snubs probe

Blaspheming tweeter to stand trial

Juwaihel row rages

KUWAIT: The appeals court yesterday upheld a 10-year jail term for a tweeter found guilty of insulting HH the Amir and calling for the overthrow of the regime. Lawrence Al-Rasheedi was tried on charges of spreading false news about Kuwait to undermine the oil-rich country’s image and calling for regime’s overthrow in video footage on YouTube, the court ruled. It said he had also used the social networking site Twitter and YouTube to publicly insult HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is protected against criticism by Kuwait’s constitution.

The lower court sentenced Rasheedi to 10 years in jail in October. He can still challenge the verdic t before the supreme court whose rulings are final.

Kuwait has in the past several months clamped down on Internet activists who allegedly break the country’s laws, especially by committing religious offences. The courts have already jailed several such activists and others are awaiting trial.

Separately, a Kuwaiti man charged with defaming Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Twitter as well as insulting the

rulers of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will stand trial on May 21 and plead not guilty, his lawyer said yesterday. The case of Shiite Hamad Al-Naqi, who faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted, has caused uproar in the state, where dozens of Sunni activists and lawmakers have protested against his alleged crime in the streets. Some have called for him to be put to death. Blasphemy is illegal under Kuwaiti law as is libel.

Naqi was arrested in March and charged with defaming the Islamic faith and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as well as his companions and his wife on the popular micro blog. Prosecutors later charged him with insulting the rulers of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia on Twitter too.

Naqi has told police that he did not make any of the comments and that his account was hacked. Earlier this month, lawmakers endorsed a legal amendment that could make such crimes - if committed by Muslims - punishable by death.

Naqi’s lawyer said the amendment should not affect his client however. “The new law does not affect this case because it happened in the past,” his Continued on Page 13

Max 40º Min 29º High Tide 07:51 & 19:24 Low Tide 00:32 & 13:56

RIYADH: Gulf Arab countries will continue talks on a possible union of six nations but any such plan will take time, the Saudi foreign minister said yesterday after a summit that had been touted as a first step to union with Bahrain and a possible third state. “Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have approved the call for a commission to continue studying in order to present final results (to a coming summit),” Prince Saud AlFaisal told a news conference. “The issue will take time...

The aim is for all countries to join, not just two or three.”

He said that the reason behind the apparent decision to put the proposal on the backburner was due to the “high importance of the matter and keenness to study it comprehensively”.

The veteran Saudi minister also said no steps would be taken on a closer relationship between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where majority Shiites have been leading an uprising for democratic reforms for over a year, raising Saudi fears of an impact upon Shiites in its oil-producing Eastern Province. “There was no step to have a special relationship between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, although both countries would welcome closer association,” he said. “We’re in full cooperation with all Gulf states to come up with the union.”

Gulf Arab leaders met to discuss a closer political, economic and military union yesterday, part of a strategy by wealthy Sunni Muslim monarchies to counter Shiite discontent in Bahrain and Iran’s growing influence. Gulf sources had said the summit meeting in Riyadh was primarily aimed at setting the stage for closer union between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which sent troops in March last year to help Manama in an initial effort to squash the uprising.

“I’m hoping that the six countries will unite in the next meeting,” Prince Saud said of a plan that analysts say faces considerable obstacles among Gulf leaders Continued on Page 13

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has declined an invitation by a parliamentary panel probing alleged corruption on the grounds that a special judiciary tribunal has closed the case. Prominent Shiite businessman Mahmoud Haider, a close associate of Sheikh Nasser, has also rejected a summons by another parliamentary probe panel, saying he is a private person not governed by the investigation committee.

Continued on Page 13

GAZA CITY: Palestinian women hold pictures of their jailed relatives as they celebrate yesterday after Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike agreed a deal with Israel to end their fast in exchange for an easing of their conditions. — AFP

Palestinian inmates to end hunger strike KUWAIT: MPs Mohammad Hayef (left) and Osama Al-Munawer attend a panel meeting at the National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

GAZA: Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails agreed yesterday to an Egyptian-brokered deal aimed at ending a mass hunger strike that challenged Israel’s policy of detention without trial and raised fears of a bloody Palestinian backlash if any protesters died. Most of some 1,600 prisoners, a third of the 4,800 Palestinians in Israeli jails, began refusing

food on April 17 although a few had been fasting much longer - up to 77 days. Their protest centred on demands for more family visits, an end to solitary confinement and an end to so-called “administrative detention”, a practice that has drawn international criticism on human rights grounds.

Continued on Page 13

Kuwait eco footprint second largest

LONDON: Painter Lisa Burton poses for pictures with a new waxwork figure of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at Madame Tussauds yesterday. The waxwork, replicating the official Jubilee photograph released earlier this year, is dressed in a recreation of the white and silver lace dress covered in 53,000 Swarovski elements with a blue silk sash adorned with the Queen’s Garter Badge, topped off by a replica of the diamond and pearl George IV State Diadem. — AFP

GENEVA: Spiralling global population and overconsumption are threatening the future health of the planet, conservation group WWF warned yesterday. The demand on natural resources has become unsustainable and is putting “tremendous” pressure on the planet’s biodiversity, the body said. In its latest survey of the Earth’s health, WWF named Qatar as the country with the largest ecological footprint, followed by its Middle Eastern neighbours Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Denmark and the United States made up the remaining top five, calculated by comparing the renewable resources consumed against the earth’s regenerative capacity.

The Living Planet Report found that highincome countries have an ecological footprint on average five times that of low-income ones. Across the globe the footprint has doubled since 1966. “We are living as if we have an extra planet at our disposal,” said Jim Leape, WWF International director general.

“We are using 50 percent more resources that the Earth can sustainably produce and unless we change course, that number will grow fast - by 2030 even two planets will not be enough.”

The survey, compiled every two years, reported an average 30 percent decrease in biodiversity since 1970, rising to 60 percent in the hardest-hit tropical regions. The decline has been most rapid in lower income countries, “demonstrating how the poorest and most vulnerable nations are subsidising the lifestyles of wealthier countries”, said WWF. Globally, around 13 million hectares of forest were lost each year between 2000 and 2010.

“An ever-growing demand for resources by a growing population is putting tremendous pressures on our planet’s biodiversity and is threatening our future security, health and well-being,” said the group.

The report comes ahead of June’s Rio+20 gathering, the fourth major summit on sustainable development since 1972. French

President-elect Francois Hollande has confirmed he will be among 100 global leaders at the summit seeking to outline a path towards an economy that can balance economic growth, poverty eradication and protection of the environment. The WWF wants to see more efficient production systems that would reduce human demand for land, water and energy and a change in governmental policy that would measure a country’s success beyond its GDP figure.

But the immediate focus must be on drastically shrinking the ecological footprint of high-income countries, particularly their carbon footprint, the WWF said. “Rio+20 can and must be the moment for governments to set a new course towards sustainability,” said Leape. “This report is like a planetary checkup and the results indicate we have a very sick planet, said Jonathan Baillie, conservation program director of the Zoological Society of London, which co-produced the report along with the Global Footprint Network. — AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

LOCAL

Indonesia seeks to boost tourist arrivals from Kuwait

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: Indonesia seeks to boost tourist arrivals from Kuwait to the archipelago as part of its new initiative to penetrate further into the Middle East market, said a top tourism official here yesterday. “We see huge potential for the expansion of our tourism market in the Middle East, especially in Kuwait,” Nia Niscaya, Director of International Tourism Promotion (ITP), Indonesia, told the Kuwait Times on the sidelines of the Kuwait Travel World Expo ( T WE), currently being held at the International fairground in Mishref. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia is participating in the TWE in association with the Embassy of Indonesia, Kuwait.

Giving an overview of the strategic initiative her country is taking to boost tourist arrivals from Kuwait, Niscaya expressed hope that the exhibi-

tion would provide a good opportunity to showcase Indonesia’s famed tourism destinations in Kuwait, “First, Kuwaiti people must know more about Indonesia, its great culture and tradition and its popular tourism destinations spread across 17,000 islands.”

Niscaya added that the tourist numbers from Kuwait recorded a 30 percent increase last year, with 1,021 Kuwaitis visiting the country in 2011.

Close bonds “In the Middle East, we used to receive a large number of visitors from Saudi Arabia, while visitors from Kuwait were comparatively less. We seek to change this and draw more Kuwaiti travelers into our country as we have an extensive choice of destinations, and hospitality is part of our Muslim tradition. The Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait is also making a new initiative to boost tourist arrivals from Kuwait to

Indonesia,” Niscaya noted. She added, “The peoples of Kuwait and Indonesia enjoy close bonds historically. Since the majority of the people are Muslim, there is no worry about the availability of halal food.

The current foreign exchange rates are also an advantage: one Kuwaiti dinar currently fetches 32,000 Indonesian rupiahs.”

The Indonesian booth (number B8) displays a wide range of tourism information material as well as information on the country’s history and heritage, culinary specialties, recreational facilities, sports, MICE (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition) and golfing spots. There is special emphasis on the rafting and spa opportunities in Indonesia. Visa rules are simple for Kuwaiti nationals, who can obtain their visa on arrival.

New initiative “We want to penetrate the Kuwaiti market and attract

more travelers from the country,” said Ferry Adamhar, the Indonesian Ambassador in Kuwait. He said the embassy is keen to support the tourism ini-

people contacts and an opportunity for better cultural interaction between Kuwait and Indonesia. If more people come to Indonesia, the landscape of

KUWAIT: Indonesian Ambassador Ferry Adamhar (right) and Director of ITP Indonesia, Nia Niscaya. tiative taken by the Indonesian government. “It is not about the economy or money alone. We look at tourism in a different perspective: it is also a means to establish better people-to-

Indonesia will become even broader,” he added.

Showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the country, a renowned Indonesian traditional and contemporary dancer,

Didi Nini Thowok, will perform at the expo tomorrow at 07.00 pm.

Indonesia is the world’s most expansive archipelago, stretching almost 5,000km east to west, from Sumatra to Irian Jaya, and north to south almost 1,800 km from the Sabah Kalimantan border to the Roti Island off Timor. There are officially 17,508 islands, of which 6,000 are inhabited. Most of the country’s islands are mountainous, some so high as to be snowcapped, with volcanoes running like a backbone through the country. It’s this volcanic ash that gives the Indonesian soil its rich fertility, spawning an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, including the world’s biggest flower, the rafflesia, and the mighty Komodo dragon. Each of its major islands, such as Sumatra, Borneo, Jawa, Bali and Papua, represent a distinct cultural identity, offering tourists a wide variety of attractions.

Kuwait travel expo seeks to unlock tourism potential Emerging tourism trends on display

By Sajeev K Peter

ABK supports Al-Wafaa School for Girls KUWAIT: As part of Al-Ahli Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, students of Al-Wafaa School for Girls received a complete set of laptops to enable their learning experience.

Sahar Al-Therban, public relations manager at ABK, explained the significance of such an event for the bank as well as the school.

“At ABK, we take our Corporate Social Responsibility seriously, and today, we feel privileged to be a part of and facilitate the learning process at Al-Wafaa School. The bank is honored that by pro-

viding some facilities for the girls, it can make a small but significant difference in their lives.”

Al-Therban explained: “Al Wafaa School for Girls is a special needs school for students with Down’s Syndrome, and simply knowing that these students are in need of that little extra help with their learning makes this support all the more important to us.”

ABK received a heartfelt thank you from Mariam Dhiab, headmistress, who was thrilled to receive the laptops on behalf of the students at the school.

KUWAIT: Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khalid Suleiman Al-Jarallah issued a statement yesterday stating that a fire broke out in one of ministry’s offices at the ministry, stressing that it was ‘limited,’ and “was controlled within 15 minutes.” and “had not damaged any documents.” The statement pointed out that the small fire was doused by ministry staff who used fire extinguishers before fire-fighters reached the scene. There were only material losses like damaged furniture, Al-Jarallah said. The undersecretary said the specialized government bodies have begun an investigation into the incident.

KUWAIT: A three-day travel and tourism exhibition entitled ‘Kuwait Travel World Expo’ ( T WE) kicked off here yesterday at the International Fairground in Mishref. The expo seeks to unlock the tourism potential in the Middle East and promote global destinations among Kuwaiti travellers. The exhibition showcases a wide-range of travel products and services and provides information on emerging trends in the tourism industry.

Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry of Communications (Legal Affairs), Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, inaugurated the exhibition in which 26 companies and 10 embassies in Kuwait are participating. Patronized by the Kuwait Ministry of Communications, the expo brings together travel exhibitors, tour operators and leisure buyers from various countries and provides a lively platform for interaction and discussion on diverse tourism products and destinations. The exhibitors also offer attractive promotions and packages during the expo. Touristic Enterprises Company, Kuwait Tourism Organization, Kuwait Airways and Top Real Estate Group are among the Kuwaiti companies participating in the exhibition.

“The primary focus of the exhibition is to introduce and promote travel destinations outside Kuwait. We also seek to boost domestic tourism by promoting Kuwait’s famed touristic locations and sites during the exhibition,” Emad M. Al-Haroun, Manager of the Travel World Expo, told the Kuwait Times after the inaugural ceremony. He added, “We hope that the exhibition will provide an appropriate platform for participating firms and organizations to promote their destinations and provide information to our potential Kuwaiti travellers on various travel options. The exhibition will also provide information on various medical tourism destinations.”

The Ministr y of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi, the Embassy of Egypt, Embassy of Brazil, the Moroccan Government Tourist Office (Dubai), the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the South African embassy, Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana and the Korea Tourism Organization are among the embassies and foreign organization present at the exhibition, Al-Haroun noted.

A large number of visitors toured various booths at the exhibition soon after the inaugural ceremony, which was attended by ambassadors and Kuwaiti dignitaries. The visitors were entertained by traditional drum-

mers from South Africa and Kuwaiti dancers.

The Kuwait Travel World Expo, its 19th edition, will continue until tomorrow. It is being held

KUWAIT: Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry of Communication (Legal Affairs) Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the exhibition. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Cabinet supports legislative-executive dialogue KUWAIT: The Cabinet supports and encourages constructive dialogue between legislative and executive powers to achieve the aspirations and goals of the Kuwaiti people, a statement by the Cabinet said here yesterday. During its weekly meeting chaired

by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah, said the Cabinet meeting discussed recent happenings in the National Assembly. They expressed discontent towards irresponsible acts carried out by several individuals, which are against the constitution and parliamentary by-laws, as well as Kuwaiti customs and Islamic teachings.

He noted that the continuation of such acts will affect Parliament’s role in development and will lead to grave social consequences, adding that it will also portray a negative image of the country both locally and international-

at hall number 4A at the fairground in Mishref from 9:30 am until 1 pm, and from 4-30 pm until 9:30 pm daily.

ly. The Cabinet, said the minister, believes in constructive dialogue between the legislative and executive authorities, which in turn will help overcome differences and find solutions to problems.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled affirmed that the Cabinet supports the steps by the National Assembly and measures to tackle the issue of irresponsible acts in Parliament and to prevent them from occurring in future sessions.

He said the Cabinet called on MPs to act within their jurisdictions and abide by the calls from His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, for respect and dialogue between Parliament and the Government.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anas Al-Saleh, and the Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim, briefed the meeting on the recent fires in Rahaiya and Amghara junkyards. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Al-Mutairi visiting the South African pavilion.

Plans to rescue national workers in private sector KUWAIT: Engineer Fares Al-Enizi, director of small projects in the labor force restructuring program, said financial services in the government sector have caused a shift from the private sector to the government sector.

During the period from 2005 to 2011, a total number of 12,270 employees moved from the private to the government sector. He pointed to the swift move of the program to rescue national laborers in the private sector. An attractive environment for newly graduated youths was created by giving them justice and equality with their counterparts

in the Government sector, he said.

Al-Enizi explained the dangers of bogus employees, and the necessity of the cooperation of society to fight this phenomenon. He said the program was able to retrieve more than KD 600,000 through a supervision mechanism, in addition to sending more than nine companies involved in bogus employments to the public prosecution department.

He emphasized the importance of small projects in supporting the national economy, saying the program is keen to create new professions that attract women.

Donations only by k-net or banks KUWAIT: Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) sources revealed the approval of the ninth project for charity work for the month of Ramadan.

Through it, charity organizations are allowed to collect donations in all shapes, either bank deductions or by Knet or cash payments, as per regulations

inside head offices of charity organizations that are authorized to collect donations.

Cash donations are to be collected through receipts, stamped by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, regarding charity collections in mosques.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

local

More flight options lead to no hotel service

By Sawsan Kazak KUWAIT: Summer vacations are quickly approaching and with summer vacations usually comes travel.

When traveling to destinations that require a stopover, many airlines used to provide travelers with complimentary hotels when the transit time was over a certain amount of hours. The airlines would provide a free hotel stay, either overnight or even for a few hours to rest and would shuttle the traveler to and from the hotel.

But more often than not, airlines no longer offer complimentary hotel stays even if transit is in double digits.

The question then becomes: ‘Are the airlines allowed to have their travelers wait hours in the airport? Is there a law or international policy airlines have to adhere to when it comes to offering this service?’

“A few months ago, I tried to book a ticket to the US. The transit time was going to be 11 hours. When I called the airlines, they said they would not give me a hotel and that I should just book a different ticket,” says Valerie. She ended up booking a ticket that was over KD100 more expensive just to avoid the long wait at the airport.

“There are fewer airlines that provide this service, because the airlines now have more flights that go into the countries they fly to. For instance, airlines in the Gulf have multiple flights a day to and from cer tain

countries and if the traveler does not want to wait too long in the airport, they can book a flight that is a few hours later,” says Mark, an operator at a ticket booking call center.

“If the travelers are book ing through an agent, or directly with the airline, they can always change the flight they are taking if it doesn’t come with a complimentary hotel, or they can book a hotel at their own expense at the same time,” Mark adds.

He explains that there are still some destinations that have bad transit times and no other options, and in these cases airlines still provide complimentary hotels. “It’s not a law. The airlines are not forced to give you a complimentar y hotel,” explains Zouhair, a cabin crew chief for a major airlines, adding “they will usually offer you a hotel only when there are no other options available.”

Zouhair says that nowadays airlines have more flights to the same destination and the traveler has options.

“If the traveler chooses the cheaper option, it is usually accompanied with a longer transit time. It is his or her responsibility to arrange for a hotel. But if the airline only travels to a certain destination once a day or once every few days, the airline usually gives the hotel ser vice,” says Zouhair.

The disappearance of the complimentary hotel service is then due to the fact that airlines offer more flight options than they did before.

Missing girl found

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A missing girl was discovered in a vehicle pulled over and checked by a police patrol, security sources said.

The girl claimed she had been kidnapped by the driver, a citizen. She said she had been screaming for help.

They were both taken to Salmiya police station pending further investigations.

2011. Bassam Al-Assoussi, the passengers’ lawyer, said each passenger will be compensated with KD 500 in addition to a refund of ticket airfare.

Harasser reported A female citizen accused someone of harassing her with mobile phone calls and messages, said securit y sources. Further investigations are in progress.

Kidnapped and robbed A Syrian accused a citizen of kidnapping him, along with a friend of his, and taking him to a remote area where they assaulted and robbed him. A case was filed.

Impersonator caught A female GCC citizen was arrested for attempting to leave the country using another woman’s ID card to escape a travel ban, said security sources.

Passengers’ compensation Kuwait’s comprehensive court yesterday fined Al-Wataniya Airways, compelling it to compensate passengers whose tickets were cancelled when the carrier stopped all flights after it was hit by financial problems in March

Brawl victim A Lebanese man sustained a serious stab wound during a fight with a citizen in Hawalli, said security sources, noting that the suspect was arrested and the vic tim was rushed to Mubarak Hospital’s ICU in critical condition.

Al-Shamali may be assigned another post KUWAIT: Finance Minister Mustafa AlShamali’s days in Cabinet appear to be numbered regardless of the outcome of the debate of two interpellation motions expected to be debated next week.

Al-Shamali confirmed earlier this week that he does not plan to quit or even ask that the debate be delayed, also expressing confidence in his ability to survive both motions. On the other hand, the coalition of thirty five MPs who form the Parliament’s majority bloc has enough members to vote the minister out office by passing a vote of no-confidence motion submitted after a grilling debate. This requires only 25 votes to be passed.

To face this predicament, the Cabinet can retain Al-Shamali by reshuffling the minister’s post following the debate, which will help him avoid being voted out of office. The same tactic was used previously to save former Finance Minister Badr AlHumaidhi following an interpellation motion that ended with a decision to put him in charge of another portfolio.

However, at least one grilling presenter plans to question HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlSabah, should the Cabinet make such a decision.”MP Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi believes that Al-Shamali’s reshuffling undermines the authority of the legislative institution and MPs’ right to utilize their constitutional tools,” said a source close to the lawmaker who filed a separate motion from a much anticipated one forwarded by MPs Musallam Al-Barrak, Khalid Al-Tahous and Abdurrahman Al-Anjari.

Speaking to Al-Rai on condition of anonymity, the source said that the debate session could feature three or even four requests for a vote of confidence, making Al-Shamali’s chances of survival almost zero.

Meanwhile, sources told Al-Rai about ‘frustration’ creeping in, from AlWasmi’s recent announcement regarding plans to file an interpellation motion against Sheikh Ahmad AlHomoud Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister. The source of frustration stems from the fact that Al-Wasmi’s decision, much like his decision to grill Al-Shamali separately, was taken with little coordination with bloc members, according to sources.

Separately, MP Hammad Al-Muttar reiterated that MP Mohammad AlJuwaihel spit at him during last Thursday’s session, in a statement made on Sunday shortly after AlJuwaihel denied the incident in a press conference, reported Al-Rai. In the meantime, Justice Bloc members Mohammad Hayef, Osama AlMunawer, Mohammad Al-Hatlani, and Badr Al-Dahoom agreed during a meeting at Hayef’s office to ‘push forward’ their proposed amendment of Article 79 of the Constitution, to be given priority.

In other news, the majority bloc may dedicate their meeting on Saturday to discuss proposals to merge Kuwait’s five electoral constituencies into a single one “which the bloc seeks to achieve as soon as possible,” according to sources, reported Al-Qabas.

‘Workers City’ almost complete KUWAIT: The Ministry of Public Works has almost completed the construction of a major residential project for expatriate laborers in Sabhan, announced Hayel Al-Mutairi Project Manager.

The project, named the ‘Sabhan City for Laborers,’ is the first of a range of projects through which the government seeks to provide residential areas with

full facilities for workers who usually live illegally, and at sub-standard places in Kuwait. “The MPW is currently working with the Ministry of Electricity and Water to connect the project,” Al-Mutairi said.

He also revealed that the MPE finished “nearly 90 percent” of a project to build a residential complex in Al-Shaddadiya for laborers.

KUWAIT: Collecting scrap materials from garbage helps many menial workers survive in Kuwait. Most of them are Bangladeshi workers who earn between KD 45 to 60 per day.

Trash could be valuable too...

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Trash or scrap metals, hard wood products, corrugated boxes, newspapers, iron bars, plastic sheets, soft drink tin cans, aluminums, old car batteries, exhaust fans, pots and pans usually end up in the garbage bin or sometimes at the Friday Market as they can be valuable too.

These small pieces of objects [trash] can be sold at a makeshift trash shop in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Anwar Muhammad is operating.

The trash is separated during garbage collection, which usually takes place around midnight.

“The real garbage goes to a dumping site, but the segregated materials which consists of metals and plastic materials are separated and weighed and sold to us

by garbage collectors in exchange for money,” said Anwar Muhammad as he shared his story with the Kuwait Times yesterday.

“I have some 5 to 10 customers per day and I can help them in any way because they are not paid well at their work so, in small way, they are earning money decently.”

Collecting scrap materials from garbage helps many menial workers survive in Kuwait. Most of them are Bangladeshi workers who earn between KD 45 to 60 per day.

Muhammad used to purchase metals from some old buildings which were under demolition but those days are over, according to Muhammad. “What I do now is buy pieces of items from

garbage collectors instead. We have many countrymen needing some extra money so, in my little way, I am doing a favor for them.

I am buying them and sending them to Amghara for recycling,” he said.

Muhammad, who hails from Bangladesh, buys scrap materials according to the prevailing market value. For example, iron bars (metal) cost around 120 to 150 fils per kilogram. “Prices go down and up depending on the prices of the metal (iron) in the market, just like the aluminum prices.”

Cartons or corrugated boxes cost around fifty fils per kilo, and all kinds of plastics (except water bottles) are worth 95 fils. Soft drink tin cans are worth 350 to 400 fils, newspapers 50 fils. The lowest quality aluminum is 220

fils, first class quality is 400 fils. “ The aluminum cans (soft drinks) are the most expensive among our scrap because they are valuable aluminum products,” he said. All of his collected scrap will be taken to the recycling facilities at Amghara before it could be turned into something else. With this job, Muhammad can make up to KD10 to KD12 per day. “ The business is okay. We don’t have any problems with the police because, in a way, we are helping the community stay clean. Now I have so many regular customers. There are times that I can get valuable items too and I can sell it for a higher amount,” said. Muhammad, has been buying and selling scraps for over five years now.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

LOCAL

Satire Wire

kuwait digest

Playing Russian Roulette with the sun this summer

Bravo Al-Babtain

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

I

wrote an article about the Kuwaiti poet Abdul Aziz Al-Babtain titled “Al-Babtain, a Kuwaiti man on top of world poetry” and the international achievements he made when he participated with six poets, representing the continents of the world, in the international day for poetry.

He was chosen as a Kuwaiti to read a poem in that international festival. One of my friends said: “you have exaggerated too much in praising the man”. He was shocked with my reply when I said: “I don’t know the man except by name, and have never met him. I do not need to know the man personally.” I praised his achievements, and did not praise his personality.

In my article I spoke of his achievements, which served poetry and culture, and how he did the work of two National Councils for Culture, Arts and Letters. His name reached many countries and his name was linked with this country. Some of those nations do not know us, and some know nothing about us except that we are an oil country, or as educated Arab persons call us: “Petrodollar Persons”.

Further he taught us as writers to concentrate on defects, without personalizing things. In return, we have to concentrate and focus on achievements. It is not logical that our country raises only corrupt persons and thieves, there are some who have achievements and their rights on us is that we mention them in our writings in the same way I wrote about Al-Babtain.

If I have to list the outstanding citizens in my country, ministers, political analysts, thinkers and artists, I need too much time.

What made me write this article once again about the poet Al-Babtain is that the prize which carries his name has been given to a Spanish researcher called Joseph Rambererze. The prize handing ceremony will be held at Granada University in the presence of the poet AbdulAziz Al-Babtain. This prize is concerned with researchers who focus on Andalusian culture. The Spanish researcher Rambereze made a comprehensive study about Islamic rule in the Western part of Spain.

For those who never heard of or do not know Granada University, to which the Kuwaiti poet AlBabtain will go to hand over the prize, it is a university older than the USA. It is more than 500 years old, as it was founded in 1531. It has more than 88,000 students studying in it, which makes us proud that the prize which carries the name of a Kuwaiti citizen will be handed over in one of the oldest universities in the world.

NOTE: Something of pride has no harm, and to be away from politics is a million times better than to walk around its coast and high waves. Therefore, I wrote about this man and I will write about men similar to him as a duty and for the sake of our country. — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Most important Gulf Summit

By Saleh Al-Qallab

A

fter 30 years at its current status, the Gulf Cooperation Council moving to a union between the Gulf Arab countries is something that does not concern those countries alone, rather it interests all Arabs and countries in the entire region.

It is a move, if it is agreed upon and implemented now or after a while, that will receive the support from all Arab countries, or at least most of them, but it will be rejected by some countries in the region, especially the Islamic Republic of Iran.

When it was formed on 25 May 1981, this council was considered an important move towards sought after Arab unity. Despite the fact that its slogans dominated the 50s, 60s and 70s of the last century, they remained just hopes and wishful thinking.

Nothing came into existence in reality, except for the Syrian - Egyptian union that lasted only a few years, and the short lived union between the two Royal Hashemite regimes in Iraq and Jordan, which were brought to an end by a bloody coup led by Adel Karim Qasem in 1958. This began several destructive military coups that followed, and took Iraq to the current tragic situation, and they are still open for many probabilities.

When the GCC was formed on May 25, 1981, Iran did not object to it only because it was involved in the costly war with Iraq, which started in September 1980 and continued until Aug 8, 1988. This country, which is supposed to be the closest to Arabs and their unification hopes, remained in opposition to any unity be they during the reign of the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi or following the triumph of the Khomeini Islamic Revolution.

There is supposed to be an agreement by all Arabs, not just by our brothers in the Arabian Gulf, that this experience made some achievements that cannot be denied, despite some failures that can be justified and some otherwise.

Now, 30 years later, it is time to move from the cooperation model, which must continue, to that of unity, which should not wipe out the internal identity of each state.

King Abdullah bin Abdelaziz, called for this strategic move, which indicates the wide ranging horizon.

He took the historic moment, moved by the fact that Arabs in general and the Gulf in particular should not be satisfied with what they have, be it for the GCC or the Arab League.

The entire world opted for regional and geographic formations under the urgent economic and political pressures. In Riyadh’s consultative summit, there should be a courageous stand that responds to the strategic call of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, which constitutes an actual grabbing of that historic moment in the entire Arab region.

— Al-Jarida

By Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

W

in my view

Dangerous movements

By Tariq Al-Homayed

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l-Qaeda only operates in separatist regions or areas beset with tribal conflict; whilst it thrives wherever there is a sectarian atmosphere. The same applies to Iranian policy in our region, for Tehran is supporting the Baathist, secular and Alawite Assad, whilst at the same time supporting the extremist Sunni Al-Qaeda organization, which - for its part - is coexisting with the (Shiite) Houthi movement in Yemen!

Asharq Al-Awsat recently published an astonishing report in cooperation with Britain’s The Guardian newspaper, revealing the frenetic Iranian movement to support the southern separatists in Yemen.

This report clearly indicates the danger of what Iran is doing in our region, whether in Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria or the Gaza Strip with regard to distributing funds and arms, establishing poisonous media outlets - whether we are talking about television or newspapers or the Internet - whose sole objective is to allow Iran to infiltrate our countries, including Egypt and the Arab Maghreb.

The Guardian report sheds light on the manner in which the Iranians are operating, and this is similar to the way that Al-Qaeda operates, as we see Tehran is active in separatist or sectarian regions. This is not to mention the Iranian’s presence amongst those who have been deceived by Tehran, sometimes in the name of “resistance,” and this is a lie that has been publicly exposed, or at other times in the name of revolution.

Indeed, here we see a senior member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp. (IRGC) protesting against the term “Arab Spring,” saying this phenomenon should instead be called the “Islamic Awakening,” however does this then apply to what is happening in Syria and Bahrain? If this is the case, then why does Iran stand with Assad against the people of Syria? Why then does the Iranian-backed Shiite opposition in Bahrain call for democracy? This is truly confusing! Therefore the importance of The Guardian report, which was also published in Asharq

Al-Awsat, is that it clearly shows Iran’s relationship with the Houthis, and its desire to infiltrate southern Yemen, particularly as Iran stipulated that the southern Yemenis could only be armed via the Houthis!

The importance of this report is also revealed in the information regarding the 15 Yemenis who traveled to Tehran and who, upon their arrival, were dealt with as if they were detainees; this is also what happened with the Al-Qaeda elements present in Iran, and this includes some of Osama Bin Laden’s children.

The Yemeni sources who traveled to Tehran also revealed that the Iranian officials they met there were using aliases. The report also revealed that the Iranians had informed the southerners that Tehran was interested in investing in infrastructure programs in southern Yemen, including building a hospital and paying the salaries of activists. The source added, “most importantly, they said they would send us weapons and train people.”

This is what Iran is doing in our region, in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, and this is what Al-Qaeda did previously in Afghanistan, and indeed what it is doing today in Yemen. In addition to this, they are also providing some regions of Yemen with free water and electricity, and so the situation has reached a point where we can no longer see any difference between the behavior of Al-Qaeda and that of Iran! To further clarify the picture, it is enough to consider the following...whilst the world discovered that the Saudi security apparatus was responsible for foiling the Al-Qaeda terrorist plot targeting a civilian airplane traveling from Yemen, it has also been revealed that Iran today is trying to arm and train the southern Yemenis, in the same manner that it does with the Houthis, Sadrists, Hezbollah and Assad... so can we say that there is any difference between AlQaeda and Iran? Of course not!

Therefore, Iran represents no less grave a threat to our region than Al-Qaeda, and they both use the same methods, in a blatant manner.

kuwait digest

Abbas Ghloom ... the premier?

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

A

bbas Al-Shaabi, activist and staunch supporter of Parliament’s Opposition majority, asked the lawmakers he supports to continue addressing developmental issues and other legislative duties, and leave to him and his “eqal” (headdress rope) the process of “disciplining” the “ignorant” MPs who oppose them.

The word’s that Abbas Ghloom gained in the moniker ‘Al-Shaabi’, which is Arabic for ‘the popular’, because he is set to become the first person to be nominated by Parliament’s majority to lead the first elected Cabinet in Kuwait’s history (silly joke, I know, but it’s on par with the current situation on the political scene when it comes to silliness).

Anyway, Al-Shaabi seems to enjoy the protection of Parliament Speaker, the Icon Ahmad AlSaadoun, his deputy Khalid AlSultan and other members of the Majority Bloc. However, the approach Al-Shaabi is promoting in his most recent statement does not live up to be considered a democratic practice, and of course not a political one. It was successful during the dark ages, but it is certainly not during the current age of information.

Now whether gentlemen Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Mohammad Hayef, Osama Al-Munawer and even Musallam Al-Barrak have stopped living in the dark ages or

Citizens still expect that Parliament’s head office protects the safety of lawmakers before their dignity.

When the Majority bloc does nothing after their strong supporter threatens to use violence against MPs, this would count as an imbedded approval for his approach.

This stance furthermore indicates that the Majority Bloc plans to rule Parliament with an iron fist (or Abbas Al-Shaabi’s ‘iron’ eqal).

not is still a topic of much debate.

Citizens still expect that Parliament’s head office protects the safety of lawmakers before their dignity. When the Majority bloc does nothing after their strong supporter threatens to use violence against MPs, this would count as an imbedded approval for his approach. This stance furthermore indicates that the Majority Bloc plans to rule Parliament with an iron fist (or Abbas Al-Shaabi’s ‘iron’ eqal).

Abbas Al-Shaabi made the aforementioned statements following an incident in which security intervened to prevent him from attacking MP Mohammad AlJuwaihel inside Parliament, according to the MP. If Parliament’s head office fails to take real disciplinary measures against Al-Shaabi after his statement basically confirms AlJuwaihel’s story, then the office as well as the Parliament majority will be held accountable for any attack that could be carried out against Parliament members.

Only sheep are driven by force to their barn. The Majority Bloc seeks to implement that here. That was proven evident when they demanded that the Information Ministry ‘silences’ opinions expressed in the media and press, and is proven today as they ‘unleash’ Al-Shaabi at their opponents. —Al-Qabas

e all know that sunscreen is meant to protect us from the harmful rays of the sun, but do we know how much protection we are actually getting from the lotions we lather on? The unclear advertizing of different brands of sunscreen forced the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to get involved and last year it ordered companies to clearly identify on their bottles what kind of protection the user is getting. The confusion lies in the fact that there are actually two types of protection: defense against sunburncausing Ultraviolet B rays and the defense against Ultraviolet A rays which are deeper-penetrating and are linked to cancer and premature aging.

Also, bottles can no longer claim to be sweat proof or water proof. They needed to be relabeled as water resistant, so as to inform people that they need to eventually be reapplied. Sunscreen makers claimed that they were unable to get their new bottles on the shelves by the June 2012 deadline given last year, to which the FDA gave a six month extension.

So let me get this straight, we are in mid-May, summer is right around the corner and we (the consumers) are not any more informed than we were a year ago?

What do the sunscreen companies have to hide?

This six month extension means that we will have to go through the entire summer before we know if the lotion we are using is actually protecting us against cancer or not. It’s almost like we are forced to play Russian roulette with our skin.

Skin protection is serious and the FDA is really dropping the ball on this matter. The rule was one year to change the messages on the bottles; which is extremely reasonable. After the 12 month period was up, any bottle that was not revised should have been prevented from being sold anywhere. Giving an extension will just lead to more procrastination.

What were these companies doing for a year? Did they think the FDA would just forget about the changes they asked for? If the FDA really wants a quick response and changes, they should prohibit the distribution or sale of any item that does not comply. I believe if this was implemented, companies would miraculously have new bottles to offer by June 1st; and not one minute later.

kuwait digest

Let people decide his fate

By Dr Hassan Abbas

S

heikh Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s first minister of defense, addressed former MP Khalifa Al-Jerri by ‘Ben Jerri’ (a term that means son of the Al-Jerri family. By tradition, it is common in colloquial Arabic speech to refer to someone as son or daughter of their family name).

Then Speaker Abdullatif Al-Ghanim interrupted and strictly demanded that the Minister maintains formal speech inside Parliament hall and refer to lawmakers as such.

That was in 1963 during the term of the inaugural Parliament, the same Parliament that saw eight of its members resign in one day and was later followed by others in protest against the passing of laws that restrict freedoms. Where are we today from that?

While heated discussions were present during the early years of parliamentary practice, lawmakers maintained respect and propriety in their speech. The story is completely different today, as lawmakers often exchange verbal assaults taken directly from the dictionary of street language, in addition to physical assaults.

Insults in Parliament weren’t that common until recent years. I would say that the first incident of low speech happened in May 2007 by former MP Waleed Al-Osaimi, who opened the door for fellow lawmakers to follow suit; most recently by the MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel incident.

Al-Juwaihel faces disciplinary measures, as he is accused of spitting at fellow MP Hamad Al-Mattar.

According to reports, Parliament’s legislative committee is studying the possibility of canceling AlJuwaihel’s membership in Parliament. In my opinion, I don’t think that terminating the membership of a lawmaker elected by the people is the best solution, mainly because this punishment is not mentioned in Parliament’s internal charter.

Regardless of their behavior, MPs remain representatives of the entire nation, and canceling their membership in violation of the internal charter is a violation to people’s constitutional rights which MPs themselves are entrusted to protect.

The cancellation of Al-Juwaihel’s membership by fellow lawmakers would be an unprecedented event in Kuwaiti political history. If MPs believe his membership should became void, the best way is for the issue to be addressed in court. If a court rules that his membership should be canceled, then so be it. If not, then Al-Juwaihel’s fate and his political career must be left for the people to decide. —Al-Rai

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

KUWAIT: The 19th annual meeting of officials of correctional facilities in GCC countries in progress yesterday.

GCC officials convene in Kuwait Rehabilitation methods discussed tion programs that can be provided to the inmate inside correctional facilities to prepare them for their release.

Also discussed were rehabilitation programs that conKUWAIT: The 19th annual meeting of officials of correctional facilities in GCC countries was inaugurated yester- tinue after the inmate has been released, and help them day morning at the JW Marriott. Delegations from UAE, return to a normal life after prison.

The Kuwaiti delegation is headed by Gen Khalid AlBahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar are participating in the four-day event which started on May 14 and will Dayeen, General Director of the General Department of continue until 16th. Present at yesterday’s inauguration, Correctional institutes in the Ministry of Information. was Ministry of Information Assistant Undersecretary Maj ”The main goal of correctional facilities is to help inmates become good individuals in society and Gen Khalil Al-Shamali. “The rehabilitation their families,” said General Al-Dayeen, process that we want to implement would adding “facilities in Kuwait are improving provide a better environment for the by renovating the building and offering inmate and follow the standards of the better services when it comes to healthinternational treaties regarding treatment care.” The plan aims to introduce a new of inmates, as set by the human rights strategy to be followed by correction faciliorganizations,” said Maj Gen Al-Shamali ties in the GCC in order to rehabilitate during the press conference yesterday. inmates better and prepare them for life Upon their arrival on Sunday, the deleback in society. Today, the GCC delegations gations held a coordination meeting in will participate in an onsite tour of Kuwait’s which they discussed the upcoming camGeneral Department of Correctional facilipaign entitled ‘Prisoners Week.’ The campaign aims to raise awareness about meth- KUWAIT: Maj Genl Khalil ties, followed by a visit to the Central Jail, as ods that can be taken to take care of the Al-Shamali speaks during well as a visit to the women’s jail. The closing session will take place on May 16, 2012. families of the prisoners, and the rehabilita- the inaugural session.

By Sawsan Kazak

Arab Parliament meets in Cairo CAIRO: President of the Arab Parliament, Ali Al-Deqbasi, said on Sunday that the house sought to honor the aspirations of Arab peoples and to safeguard their freedom and dignity. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Arab Parliament committee meetings, AlDeqbasi, of Kuwait, said, “The Arab

Parliament is working on new amendments on the statute in order to become a permanent parliament with an effective legislative and monitoring role.”

He added that the Arab Parliament was in the process of moving from a transitional phase to a permanent status. He explained

that the Arab Parliament Secretariat should be based in Damascus, but due to the violence in Syria the activities and meetings were relocated to Cairo. Al-Deqbasi expressed hope that the Arab Parliament would meet in Damascus soon, “...to congratulate the Syrian people for winning their freedom.” — KUNA

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

local

KUWAIT: Chairman of the International Islamic Charity Organization, Dr Abdullah Al-Maatouq recently inaugurated the ‘Freedom Letters’ calligraphy exhibition at the Modern Art Museum.

The exhibition is organized by the Kuwait Islamic Arts Center, chaired by artist and calligraphist Fareed Al-Ali.—KUNA

Virtual Education Fair, a hit with students KUWAIT: Bayt.com, in conjunction with Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), member of TECOM Investments’ Education Cluster, once again held a very successful Virtual Education Fair (VEF). Over 12,000 registered students and 11 different education institutes took part in the online event that took place from May 6 to 12.

The event followed on the phenomenal successes Bayt.com has enjoyed with its virtual fair series in markets across the region, by providing a unique, fully-interactive online platform for academic and training institutions.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, managing director, TECOM Investments’ Education Cluster, said, “Bayt.com’s Virtual Education Fair is an innovative platform in academia, enabling both educational institutions and potential students to communicate with each other to understand and cover each others’ needs. Thousands of students this year learned more about admissions, financial aid, institutions and academic programs from the Virtual Education Fair. The initiative has not only benefited the students but also our academic partners at a fraction of the cost of traditional education fairs.”

The Virtual Education Fair is a unique concept, allowing academic institutions and potential students the opportunity to interact though the flexible medium of an online platform that is designed to mimic the real-life fair experience. Visitors are given access to traditional fair facilities that enable them to chat with the institutions, download brochures, and exchange information, but with the added convenience of

being able to attend from anywhere within the world. This year’s VEF was a dynamic forum which provided students with the wide variety of information required to make the academic decisions that will define their future lives and careers.

“Bayt.com’s Virtual Education Fairs are a part of our mission to empower people with the tools and knowledge to build their lifestyles of choice, even from the comfort of their own homes,” said Suhail Masri, VP Sales, Bayt.com. “At Bayt.com, we are committed to assisting all professionals who are interested in bettering their careers, whether it is by helping them find jobs or further education opportunities. This is our fourth VEF in the region, not to mention our very successful Virtual Job Fair series as well, and we look forward to many more to come.”

For both students and participating educational institutions, there are minimal resource requirements in return for maximum exposure, meaning less costs and a higher return on investment than with a traditional education fair. Through the VEF, Bayt.com and DIAC continue to demonstrate their commitment to furthering economic growth and talent development in the Middle East for the fourth year running.

“Empowerment is one of Bayt.com’s values,” concluded Masri. “And we are passionate about empowering students with academic information and career assistance, as we are helping tomorrow’s leaders and business professionals pave the way for future success.”

Scientific Centre’s volunteer program to begin KUWAIT: The Scientific Centre of Kuwait (SCK) announced yesterday that registration for its summer volunteering program will open on May 17 and close on May 20.

Chairman of the Board and Managing Director at TSCK Mjbel Al-Mutawa told the press that registration was open for individuals aged 15 to 17, adding that applications should be filled only through the website.

Al-Mutawa added that the program

would begin on June 20 and last till September 12 with a break during the month of Ramadan, adding that applications for volunteers who previously worked with the program would not be accepted.

Volunteers who get accepted in the program will be scheduled to work in morning and evening shifts as well as weekends, said the official, noting that interviews would be conducted to choose the volunteers. — KUNA

EQUATE, Schmidt+Clemens sign cooperation accord KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company and Schmidt + Clemens Group (S+C) announced signing a strategic cooperation agreement relevant to enhance and optimize production performance of ethylene crackers.

On this occasion, EQUATE Procurement Leader Ahmad Al-Saleh said, “As EQUATE owned and managed ethylene production capacities reach 1.8 million metric tons annually, this strategic accord leverages a decade long business relationship with S+C to implement solutions, best practices and latest technologies in operational and lifecycle optimization of ethylene crackers radiant coils.”

Al-Saleh added, “This partnership with S+C is a manifestation of EQUATE’s reputation and focus in the area of operational excellence as well as its determination to equally promote value adding strategic relationships through its Strategic Supplier Management Program.”

On his part, S+C Centrifugal Casting Division Managing Director Thomas Hellige said, “This strategic partnership will bring both our companies the great benefit of enhancing ethylene cracking coils performance and at the same time the opportunity to explore new key technology.

Additionally, S+C Middle East Sales Director Aurelio Muoz appreciated EQUATE’S determination to pro-actively evaluate the option to implement the latest innovative generation of anti-coke resistant alloy, so

called S+C Centralloy(r) HTE as a part of this strategic cooperation agreement.

Established in 1995, EQUATE is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The family owned German Group, Schmidt + Clemens, is the worldwide leader producer of high alloy castings for the Petrochemical, refining, fertilizer and Direct Reduction of Iron ore Industries. With more than 130 years of history and 6 production mills located in Europe, America and Asia, Schmidt + Clemens owns the largest centrifugal casting capacity in the world and supplies high -performance materials with the highest quality standards. Schmidt + Clemens Added Values are focused on R&D and added services such as installation, operation and maintenance support; Schmidt + Clemens is well known for rapid response in emergency situations which require extremely short deliveries. For more information, check S+C website: http://www.schmidt-clemens.com.

Syrian-bedoon brawl in Jleeb, three injured Police awaiting return of conman KUWAIT: Three people were seriously injured during fight involving a group of approximately 40 bedoons and Syrian nationals in Jleeb AlShuyoukh recently. The fight was reported near a mall in the area and was subsequently stopped by police as officers arrested a number of fighters as the rest of the group dispersed and escaped. One bedoon resident and two Syrian men were hospitalized with stab wounds and required treatment in intensive care. Preliminary investigations indicated that the fight took off when bedoon and Syrian rival groups gathered supporters after meeting to settle previous differences. A case was filed for further investigation.

Conman in blacklist Police are awaiting the return of a conman accused of swindling a woman of KD 400. The victim reported that the man, who she was romantically involved with, asked her for the money in order to address various financial problems before they began wedding planning.

Instead, however, he fled to Thailand with the money a day after receiving it. Investigations revealed that the suspect was previously involved in a similar case in which the charges were eventually dropped. The suspect’s name was blacklisted and he will be arrested upon his return to Kuwait.

Fugitive arrested A suspect, who went to the police to report a

traffic accident, was instead taken into custody after officers found that he is wanted on multiple charges, including a case in which he is alleged to owe KD 90,000. The man, who is Kuwaiti, was reportedly injured when he was hit by a car while crossing a street in Khaitan.

After receiving treatment, he headed to the area’s police station to report the incident as the driver responsible had fled the scene. He was detained when routine identity verification procedures revealed his criminal past.

Domestic abuse Police are look ing to arrest a Saad AlAbdullah resident who faces domestic abuse charges after attacking and injuring his wife.

The victim, who is Kuwaiti, received treatment at Al-Jahra Hospital for a head wound inflicted on her by her husband before heading to the local police station and reporting the case. A warrant has been issued for the suspect.

Drunks arrested Police arrested three Western expatriates for alcohol consumption after the trio called for help when their car broke down in the deser t. The group was found in Nor thern Kuwait, in Al-Judailiyat, after they called in for emergency help. Police realized at the scene the individuals were under the influence of alcohol, so they placed them under arrest and took them to Al-Jahra police station.

Bird smuggling Customs officials foiled a Kuwaiti man’s a t te m p t to s m u g g l e r a re b i rd s o f p re y through the Nuwaiseeb border checkpoint (in the South) as he was returning from Saudi Arabia. The senior citizen was taken for investigations after he failed to produce a license from Kuwaiti authorities allowing him to bring the birds into the country. He reportedly told officers that he was sceptical that the officials at the checkpoints would allow the birds into the country regardless of whether or not he had a license which, he said, would have caused him ‘massive financial losses.’

The man was taken to the veterinary labs of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources in order to have the birds tested.

Wrong accusation Police headed to a Rumathiya high school following the report of an intoxicated male forcing his way into the building. They found, however, that the man was simply a senior citizen and alumni of the school who had decided to pass by for a visit. The man had made his way into the Palestine High School, without introducing himself, and wandered around the premises, which led the teaching staff to believe that he was intoxicated. Police held the man briefly inside the school and let him go after confirming that he was simply visiting. — Al-Watan, Al-Rai, Al-Qabas

‘Excellence in Energy’ promoting oil, gas innovation KUWAIT: dmg::energy, organizers of the largest oil and gas exhibition in the Middle East, has announced the ADIPEC Awards - Excellence in Energy 2012. Launched in 2010, the ADIPEC Awards are the most anticipated event during the exhibition, which recognize organizations that have been most successful in setting new standards of excellence within the MENA oil and gas sector.

Hosted by ADNOC with the support of the UAE’s Ministry of Energy, and sponsored by JOGMEC and OMV, the Awards consist of six categories open for nominations, five of them are recognition in MENA region: Best MENA Oil and Gas Project, Best MENA Oil and Gas Innovation or Technology, Best MENA Oil and Gas HSE Project or Initiative, Best MENA CSR Initiative and Best MENA Oilfield/Gas Field Management Strategy; whilst the sixth category is open for international nominations: Best International Oil and Gas Project. There is also a distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award which will recognize an outstanding individual who has shown a pioneering spirit and demonstrated inventiveness throughout his or her career.

The awards are judged by a regional Select Jury (RSJ) which comprises of well-known industry experts from major organizations including ADNOC Group, Saudi Aramco, Bapco, KPC, PDO, Shell, Total, Taqa, Partex Oil and Gas, Schlumberger, Inpex, as well as academic institutions and professional associations, to achieve an objective entry evaluation.

Kimon Alexandrou, Commercial Director, dmg::energy said: “RSJ’s impressive line-up of senior representatives from industry leaders, combined with an objective three-stage judging

process, guarantees that the ADIPEC Awards will recognize the most outstanding projects in the MENA region, implemented between December 2010 and July 2012. Due to the sheer number of projects currently in operation throughout the

region we are expecting a high number of entries for the awards and we look forward to announcing the winners at a spectacular gala dinner on the 11 November at the St. Regis Saadiyat Resort, Abu Dhabi”.

EVF works to enhance awareness in society KUWAIT: The Kuwait Dive Team affiliated to the Environmental Voluntary Foundation (EVF) stressed keenness on enhancing environmental awareness and the spirit of volunteerism of all society segments inside Kuwait and abroad.

Head of the Environmental Voluntary Foundation (EVF) diving team Waleed Al-Fadhel said yesterday that 2012-2013 strategy, future programs and plans of the foundation were discussed in the annual EVF meeting late Sunday.

The meeting tackled the approved work values and operational plans of EVF for this year, including spreading the message of the foundation locally and abroad.

The main target of the team is to protect and save Kuwaiti marine environment through implementing major projects, head of environmental projects of the team, Mahmoud Ashkanani said.

He talked about the projects meant to be implemented this year including cultivation of coral colonies and ceremonial sites, launching the team’s environmental films, besides others.

Founder and Head of “Kuwait the Oasis”

team Khalid Al-Klaib said that the message of the team is to expand the green squares in the country.

The team is working to create connections with a number of local and international groups of the same values.

He mentioned the future plans of the team for this year, and of top importance continuing maintenance of the current three oases.

EVF member Dalal Al-Seeid said that the new slogan of the foundation is presenting the main components of the environment, namely water and plants.

EVF is a group of volunteers who are working to achieve programs, initiatives and projects of further protection to Kuwaiti environment, and working to convey the message of the foundation for the local and international communities, team member for cultural affairs Salwa Al-Asfar said. EVF agenda includes a number of activities including Kuwaiti voluntary work forum, visits of schools and universities, launching Environmental Development commission, she added. — KUNA

NBK’s Al-Shabab campaign winner announced KUWAIT: Fahad Emad Abdulrahman Al-Hmoud won a brand new 2012 Nissan Juke with Al-Shabab campaign from National Bank of Kuwait. The campaign was aimed at rewarding Al-Shabab customers who transferred their student allowances to NBK. “NBK is keen to provide

young customers with the best banking services and exclusive offers to cater to needs. AlShabab account is the first choice for youth who want to save money and organize their finances,” said Mohammed AlOthman, NBK’s executive manager, consumer banking group. “ We congratulate Fahad Al-

H moud for winning the new 2012 Nissan Juke with NBK AlShabab account. NBK rewarding campaigns will continue throughout the year.”

NBK launched Al-Shabab campaign last December to reward new and existing young customers who transfer their allowances to Al-Shabab

account with a chance to win an all new 2012 Nissan Juke. AlShabab is a youth account that caters to the various financial, social and lifestyle needs of college and university students between the ages of 17-23.

Students can open an Al-Shabab account by visiting any NBK branch in Kuwait.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

Rebels slay 33 Syrian troops Page 8

Philippines, China impose fishing bans in disputed Sea Page 12

Nepal plane crash kills 15 Six passengers survive ‘miraculously’ KATHMANDU: A small plane crashed near a treacherous high-altitude airport in northern Nepal yesterday, killing 15 people while six others miraculously survived, police said. The aircraft belonging to local carrier Agni Air ploughed into the ground just outside Jomsom airport, a gateway to the Annapurna mountain range, shortly after the pilot reported a fault.

“Fifteen people have been killed. Thirteen of them were Indian tourists and the other two were Nepali pilots,” police spokesman Binod Singh said.

He said there were six survivors, among them a Nepali air hostess and an Indian man who is being treated for head injuries.

The Danish foreign ministry in Copenhagen said two Danes had also been rescued and were being treated in the city of Pokhara, 60 kilometers from Jomsom. Basanta Dawadi, of the Pokhara tourism council, said he had spoken to the pair, a man and woman in their early 30s who were both trekkers. “ They told me the plane was about to land and suddenly it ascended and its left wing hit something. The plane rolled and then plunged into the ground. The emergency door opened and they crawled out of the aircraft. “They told me they lost consciousness and then they were rescued.”

The man had foot injuries while the woman had a cut on her throat, Dawadi said. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said two Indian children aged nine and six had been pulled out alive from the wreckage. It released no details about their injuries but said they had been taken to hospital.

The Indian group had chartered the flight from Pokhara for a pilgrimage to Muktinath, a sacred place for Hindus and Buddhists at the foot of the Thorong La pass in the Himalayas, local police spokesman Rajendra Singh Bhandari said.

“A Nepal army barracks is near the accident site which made the rescue of survivors easier,” he added, saying they had been airlifted to Pokhara, a city popular with foreign trekkers and tourists.

Dozens of army and police personnel scoured the steep hillside where the plane had come to rest, picking through the wreckage and scattered personal effects. Bimlesh Lal Karna, head of Nepal’s national rescue department, said the pilot had reported a warning light flashing in the cockpit as he descended to Jomsom.

The pilot told air traffic control moments before the crash that he was diverting back to Pokhara, said Karna. “The aircraft seems to have lost balance,” Karna said. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened” by the accident, while the Indian embassy set up a hotline providing information for desperate relatives. “I express condolences to the bereaved families and

wish for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Bhattarai said. The incident was the second deadly air accident for Agni Air in less than two years. In August 2010, one of its planes crashed in bad weather near Kathmandu, killing all 14 people on board, includ-

ing four Americans, a Japanese and a British national.

The latest fatal crash in Nepal-the fifth in less than two years-will lead to new scrutiny of the country’s numerous small airlines, which provide vital links to remote parts of the country. Jomsom Airport, at an

KATHMANDU: Bodies of victims of plane crash lie on the ground as Nepalese rescue workers inspect the site of the crash near Jomsom yesterday. — AP

elevation of 2,707 meters, has a reputation for being one of the world’s most dangerous airfields due to the mountainous terrain on the approach. However, the US-based Flight Safety Foundation, an independent non-profit organization researching air accidents across the globe,

lists just three fatal crashes at or near the asphalt landing strip since 1970.

In another recent accident in Nepal, a small Buddha Air plane taking tourists on a sightseeing trip around Mount Everest crashed in September last year, killing all 19 people on board. — AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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Libyans want answers over deadly NATO airstrikes TRIPOLI: Mohammed Al-Gherari lost five family members, including a young niece and nephew, when NATO accidentally struck their compound in the Libyan capital as they slept. Nearly a year later, his grief is compounded by threats and allegations from neighbors who believe he and others who survived the attack were harboring a regime loyalist or hiding weapons for Muammar Gaddafi’s forces. At least 72 civilians, a third of them under the age of 18, were killed by NATO airstrikes, according to a report released yesterday by Human Rights Watch - one of the most extensive investigations into the issue. The New York-based advocacy group called on the Western alliance to acknowledge the casualties and compensate survivors.

The decision by the United States and its NATO allies to launch an air campaign that mainly targeted regime forces and military infrastructure marked a turning point in Libya’s civil war, giving rebels a fighting chance. But Gaddafi’s government and allies in Russia and China criticized the alliance for going beyond its UN mandate to protect civilians. The number of Libyans killed or injured in airstrikes also emerged as a key issue in the war as Gaddafi’s regime frequently exaggerated figures and NATO refused to comment on most claims, insisting all targets were military.

At one point, Libya’s Health Ministry said 856 civilians had been killed in NATO’s campaign, which began in March 2011, weeks after the uprising against Gaddafi that erupted with peaceful protests evolved into a civil war. The UNappointed International Commission of Inquiry on Libya said earlier this year that at least 60 civilians had been unin-

tentionally killed and recommended further investigation. Based on investigations conducted in Libya from August 2011 through this April, Human Rights Watch established that 28 men, 20 women and 24 children had been killed in eight NATO bombings in Tripoli,

after Gaddafi’s death in late October. The group said it had documented several cases in which there clearly was no military target and criticized NATO for failing to acknowledge the deaths or to examine how and why they occurred.

In Brussels, NATO said it had carried

TRIPOLI: Libyan doctors stand near bodies of a man and a baby found in the damaged residential building in Tripoli in this file photo. Human Rights Watch is calling on NATO to provide compensation for Libyans who lost loved ones or had property damaged in airstrikes during the bombing campaign that helped rebels oust Muammar Gaddafi. — AP Zlitan, Sorman, Bani Walid, Gurdabiya and Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte.

The advocacy group acknowledged the figure was relatively low considering the extent of the seven-month campaign, which the alliance has said included 9,600 strike missions and destroyed about 5,900 military targets. It ended

out the bombing campaign with “unprecedented care and precision” and had fulfilled the requirements of international humanitarian law. “NATO did everything possible to minimize risks to civilians, but in a complex military campaign, that risk can never be zero,” spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said yes-

terday. “We deeply regret any instance of civilian casualties for which NATO may have been responsible.”

She said the alliance had looked into each allegation of civilian casualties. “We have reviewed all the information we hold as an organization and confirmed that the specific targets struck by NATO were legitimate military targets,” Lungescu said. The alliance did not have troops on the ground during or after the conflict who could have independently checked the results of its airstrikes. HRW recommended that NATO make public information about the intended military targets in cases where civilians were wounded or killed and provide “prompt and appropriate compensation” to families who suffered from the attacks.

The strike against al-Gherari’s compound on June 19, 2011, was a rare case in which the Brussels-based alliance admitted it had made a mistake. “It appears that one weapon did not strike the intended target and that there may have been a weapons system failure which may have caused a number of civilian casualties,” it said in a statement.

The Libyan government rushed a group of foreign journalists based in Tripoli to the site, eager to use the deaths as propaganda against the West. Children’s toys, teacups and dust-covered mattresses could be seen amid the rubble, and the journalists were shown the bodies of at least four people said to have been killed in the strike, including the two young children. Al-Gherari said government officials disappeared shortly after the fanfare ended and the family received no compensation or financial assistance from either side. Meanwhile the NATO acknowledgment, which did not provide

details, failed to satisfy neighbors who continued to accuse the family of harboring a regime figure. “I want NATO to present a full explanation that the reason was a mistake because we’re still facing accusations that Gaddafi or a higher regime figure was there and that’s why our house was targeted,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He said five people were killed, including his 2-year-old nephew and a 7month-old niece. Human Rights Watch said it visited the site in the Souk ElJuma neighborhood in August and December and “did not see any evidence of military activity such as weapons, ammunition or communications equipment.” It also said satellite imagery showed no signs of military activity at the home. The deadliest attack recorded by the rights group was in the rural village of Majer, south of the former rebel stronghold of Zlitan.

The first bomb hit a large, two-story house owned by Ali Hamid Gafez, a 61year-old farmer. It was crowded with people who had fled the fighting in nearby areas. That was followed by three more bombs that killed 34 people killed, including many who had rushed to the site to help after the earlier explosions.

Human Rights Watch said it visited the area the day after the Aug. 8, 2011, strikes and found no evidence of military activity, although it did find one militarystyle shirt in the rubble. “I’m wondering why they did this, why just our houses,” one of the residents, Muammar Al-Jarud, was quoted as saying in the report. “We’d accept it if we had tanks or military vehicles around, but we were completely civilians and you can’t just hit civilians.”—AP

Rebels slay 23 Syria troops CAIRO: An Egyptian man looks through a gate next to an election campaign poster of presidential candidate Mohammed Salem Al-Aawa bearing the slogan in Arabic “in justice Egypt prospers”. The first round of Egypt’s presidential elections will take place on May 23 and 24. — AFP

Mubarak’s tainted legacy hangs over Egyptian vote CAIRO: Military police idly guard the gates of Egypt’s presidential palace in Heliopolis, built as a 400-room luxury hotel in 1910 and vacant since a popular uprising deposed Hosni Mubarak 15 months ago. Egyptians, who never stormed in to gawk and plunder their fallen leader’s home as Tunisians and Libyans did last year, vote on May 23 and 24 for a new president, the latest stage of an uncertain transition guided bumpily by the military. People who live in the wealthy Cairo district around the palace are delighted to be spared the road closures that snarled traffic for hours every time Mubarak went anywhere.

But some, such as 24-year-old Sara Hussein, find it harder to perceive any other changes wrought by the uprising she had so ardently supported. “Like everything, the palace is still not free of the Mubaraks. The palace, and the country, are not for the people,” she says. “His regime is still in power.”

Still, Egypt will soon have a freely elected and probably civilian - president for the first time in the republic’s 60-year history, assuming the generals who sealed Mubarak’s fate by refusing to shoot at crowds baying for his downfall keep their promise to hand over by July 1.

Little else is clear. Attempts to craft a new constitution have stalled. No one knows how power will be divided between the president and parliament, dominated by Islamists. The military, wary of Islamists and jealous of its own power, perks and privileges, may step back from day-to-day affairs but is likely to seek an as-yet undefined political role, seeing itself as the paternal guardian of the state.

The generals effectively removed Mubarak to safeguard the system, not to promote revolutionary change. So far reform has not touched that system’s main pillars - the military, the judiciary, the police, security and intelligence agencies. “We have not had regime change in Egypt, only change within the regime, with a lot of street noise outside,” said Robert Springborg, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and a specialist on the Egyptian military.

Mubarak may be gone, but his legacy lingers. Then vice-president, he was catapulted into office in October 1981 after surviving the gunfire from Islamist army soldiers who assassinated his predecessor, Anwar Sadat.

He brought calm and kept Egypt at peace for 30 years, crushing an armed Islamist rebellion in the 1990s, until political and economic frustrations with his stagnant rule boiled over in the cauldron of Cairo’s Tahrir Square, where wild rejoicing greeted his departure on Feb 11, 2011. Many compare Mubarak to his

predecessors - Sadat, who made peace with Israel and forged an alliance with the United States, and Gamal Abdel Nasser, an Arab nationalist who once inspired those fighting colonial powers in the Arab world and beyond.

“Sadat was exceptional in his intelligence, Nasser in his charisma. Mubarak was half-talented at everything and had no exceptional quality,” said Ayman Nour, who ran in a 2005 election against Mubarak and was later jailed for his pains.

“Mubarak had the kind of tyranny that is typical of half-democracies,” the 47-year-old lawyer said. “He was a tyrant under the umbrella of the law.” That did not stand in the way of Mubarak’s friendship with the West, which valued him for upholding Sadat’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel, deeply unpopular with many Egyptians. He was also a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which was dismayed at Washington’s failure to prevent the fall of a pillar of a US regional political and security order that included Egypt and conservative Arab monarchies from Morocco to the Gulf.

“Without Mubarak, it will be harder for the United States to do the things it has done in the past,” said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert at Washington’s Council on Foreign Relations. US-Egyptian relations have become tetchier since Mubarak’s ouster, but military aid and cooperation continue, as does the treaty with Israel, although the peace is colder than ever.

Now on trial for his life, Mubarak, who turned 84 this month, spends his days in the capital’s International Medical Center, sitting in a lounge, walking in the garden, watching television and seeing relatives, according to a hospital source who offered a rare, unauthorized glimpse of his activities. This suggests he is healthier than the image projected at his court appearances, when he showed up lying on a stretcher, wearing dark glasses and taking little part in proceedings.

He and ex-Interior Minister Habib Al-Adly both deny ordering the killing of protesters. If convicted, they could face the death penalty, but appeals will follow and the military may well protect Mubarak, a former airforce chief, from execution.

The judge has promised a verdict on June 2, a date that falls between the first presidential election round and a likely run-off between the two top vote-getters on June 16 and 17. Mubarak’s two sons, Gamal, once seen as his heir-apparent, and Alaa are also on trial with him on corruption charges.

Many Egyptians see the trial as a test of accountability and want justice for the 800 or so people killed during the revolt, but Mubarak, if not his unloved sons, still has a

BEIRUT: At least 33 people were killed in violence across Syria yesterday, among them 23 soldiers who died in fierce clashes between regime forces and rebels in the central city of Rastan, a watchdog said. The Britain-based Syrian Obser vator y for Human Rights said reports indicated that three troop carriers were destroyed in the clashes that began at dawn on the outskirts of the rebel-held city in Homs province, which UN observers had toured last month. Four rebel fighters, among them a lieutenant who had defected, were also killed in the clashes, and random regime gunfire reportedly left two civilians dead in the city of Homs itself.

Regime forces launched an offensive on Rastan at the weekend but met with sharp resistance from rebels seeking the ouster of the regime of President Bashar AlAssad. The Obser vator y said a child was k illed and dozens wounded in shelling of the city by Syrian troops on Sunday. The bombardment by regime forces resumed following yesterday ’s deadly clashes, it added. “ The regime forces in the course of two hours fired 300 rockets at Rastan before launching their assault,” Sami Kurdi, the FSA spokesman for Homs province said from Rastan.

“The army tried to advance on the city at dawn but it met fierce resistance from FSA soldiers massed there,” he added. “ The deser ters like the residents of Rastan were on the alert, ready to do anything to prevent the regular troops from entering the town,” because “people know what happens when the army enters a town that has revolted,” Kurdi said.

Activists and NGOs have accused regime troops of repeatedly committing abuses in pro-rebel areas like Homs and Idlib. The Observatory reported deadly vio-

EU heaps sanctions on Syria

TRIPOLI: A Lebanese Sunni Muslim gunman sits with his son on Syria Street during fighting in the Bab Al-Tebbaneh neighborhood of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli during the second day of clashes between factions supporting and opposing to the revolt in Syria yesterday. — AFP lence elsewhere yesterday, with three civilians killed by regime forces’ gunfire in southern Daraa province, including a child and a Palestinian refugee.

And in Quraya in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, a 15-yearold boy was killed by machinegun fire as regime forces raided the town, the Observatory said, bringing to at least 33 the number of people repor tedly k illed. The watchdog added that 15 residents of the city were arrested. In northwest Idlib province, protesters gathered in the village of Rami in the Jabal Al-Zawiya region demanding the fall of the regime and departure of President Assad, the Observatory reported.

An amateur video showed around 200 protesters chanting in unison outside a mosque in the village, with a Syrian flag of independence, a symbol of the opposi-

tion, waving in the crowd. In the capital Damascus, regime forces raided the neighborhood of Qaboon, while snipers were stationed on the roofs of some buildings. The watchdog said 45 people - 25 civilians, 15 soldiers and five rebels-were killed in a surge of violence in various flashpoints on Sunday, despite a ceasefire brokered by UN-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan that was supposed to take effect on April 12.

Among the dead were a Shiite imam, Sheikh Abbas Al-Laham, who leads the prayers in the Ruqayya mosque in Damascus, a revered place of pilgrimage for many religious Iranians. The cleric was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in Damascus, the Observatory said. Iran supports the Damascus regime, which since 15 March 2011 has faced an unprecedented popular revolt.

More than 12,000 people, the majority of them civilians, have died since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, according to the watchdog, including more than 900 killed since the April 12 truce.

On the diplomatic front, EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels yesterday slapped a 15th round of sanctions on Syria, due to the “appalling violence” there and discussed further support for Kofi Annan’s peace plan. The new European Union sanctions, to take effect on Tuesday, mean 129 people and 43 firms or utilities are now targeted by an assets freeze and travel ban for backing the regime’s 14-month campaign of relentless repression. “The continuing violence is appalling and we continue to look again at sanctions,” said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.—Agencies

Brotherhood sees years of friction CAIRO: Egypt is destined for up to eight years of friction between reformists and the powerful military seeking to safeguard its interests after handing power to a civilian president, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood said on Sunday. In an interview with Reuters, deputy Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Ezzat forecast victory for the group’s candidate Mohamed Mursi in the vote that gets underway this month. The generals are due to hand power to an elected leader on July 1 or sooner. The election is the climax of a messy transition from military to civilian rule which Egyptians hope will usher in a new democratic era after 60 years of autocracy led by men with military backgrounds.

Ezzat, one of the most influential figures in the movement, predicted a political tug of war with the military establishment that has

developed deep political and economic influence since army officers overthrew the monarchy in 1952. “The military council has taken a definitive decision not to confront the people. But, at the same time, it has adopted an approach of clinging to power,” he said. “I expect this back and forth will go on for two presidential terms,” Ezzat said, adding the drafting of a new constitution would be one area where the generals would seek to guard their interests.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has been governing Egypt since Mubarak stepped down at the height of a popular uprising against his rule. Outlawed under Mubarak, the Brotherhood has since moved to the heart of public life. It won more than 43 percent of the seats in parliament in elections that stretched from November to February.

“Even if the president comes from the Brotherhood, the military council will continue to cling to power, but its chances will be lower,” Ezzat said. “We will cooperate with everyone, regardless of the identity of the coming president.” The first round of the election gets underway on May 23 and 24, with a run-off expected in June. The Brotherhood’s Mursi is part of a field including independent Islamists, politicians associated with the Mubarak era and leftists and liberals. Mursi has been written off by some analysts who say he lacks support outside the Brotherhood’s dedicated voter base. But Ezzat dismissed the chances of Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, a former Brotherhood leader who is leading the polls together with former Arab League chief Amr Moussa. Abol Fotouh is the Brotherhood’s main Islamist rival.—Reuters

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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Italian minister vows to speed up justice system Byzantine justice hurts economy, scares investors ROME: Her family name means “little severe one”, and Paola Severino means to live up to it in her crusade against judicial inefficiency which is helping to stifle Italy’s chronically weak economy. Seemingly endless legal delays such as in settling commercial disputes are estimated to cost up to one percentage point in Italian GDP growth - not that the economy is growing at all now - and the justice minister wants to tell hesitant investors that she is serious about solving the problem.

“There is much to be done and we will forge ahead,” Severino, the first woman to hold the justice portfolio, told Reuters in an interview.

Severino is already setting up specialist business tribunals and wants to crack down on the huge number of appeals which are clogging up the legal system.

With this message she is heading to the United States as part of an international “road show” to convince foreign companies considering investing in Italy that the government of Prime Minister Mario Monti will speed up the snail-paced system of civil justice. This week 63-year-old Severino, who was a top lawyer and legal scholar before Monti recruited her for his technocrat government, takes her pitch that Italy can be trusted to the United Nations and to investors at the New York Stock Exchange. “If a company has certainty about how laws will be interpreted by judges and if it can count on shorter times for court cases ... it will invest more and launch more long-term projects, helping the economy,” she said.

Studies by the World Bank show that it takes 1,210 days - or more than three years to recover a claim in Italy compared with 394 days in Germany. The average costs paid by businesses in Italy usually amount to about 30 percent of the value of the dispute, compared with 17 percent in France. In 2010 the European Court of Human rights ruled against Italy 53 times for violating the European Convention’s article protecting the right to a fair trial, and 44 of the those condemnations were for the excessive length of proceedings.

Severino often cites a Bank of Italy estimate that judicial inefficiency in civil cases cuts as much as one percentage point a year from economic growth. The country is currently in recession.

FAST-TRACK ‘BUSINESS TRIBUNALS’ Under Severino, business tribunals around the country will start work in September, hearing only cases involving companies in the hope of speeding up resolution of disputes.

“The business tribunal is not a hypothesis and not a dream but a reality that we will fully support,” she said, adding that she received favorable comments when she briefed German business leaders about the project. “It is made up of specialized judges who have been expressly trained to deal with business issues, therefore they will be able to convey greater certainty about the interpretation of law (concerning businesses investing in Italy) and the will also hand down better sentences,” she said.

She hopes the tribunals could shorten such judicial processes by at least 25 percent at the start of the project. “This goes hand in hand with competition. Being competitive concerns the lengths of court cases. They have to be in line with those of our European and international competitors,” she said. The Monti government took office in November to try to transform the economy and avert a Greekstyle debt crisis following the collapse of Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition and has pressed ahead with a series of reforms and liberalizations.

Severino believes Italy’s entire legal culture needs to change. “Italians today go into litigation too much and it lasts too long,” she said in the interview, conducted on Saturday in her frescoed office with high ceilings in the centre of Rome. Italy is the fourth most litigious of 38 European countries, with 4,768 disputes per 100,000 inhabitants. About 2.8 million new cases were brought last year alone. “We want to convince people that it is useful to have

Greece elections loom after leftist rejects coalition talks ATHENS: Greece’s radical leftist leader spurned an invitation from the president for a final round of coalition talks yesterday, all but ensuring a new election that he is poised to win. Greece’s political landscape has been in disarray for a week since an inconclusive election left parliament divided between supporters and opponents of the 130 billion euro ($168.3 billion) EU/IMF bailout, with neither side able to form a government. Government officials have warned that Greece could run out of cash as early as the end of June if it does not have a government in place to negotiate the next aid tranche with its lenders.

“The country is up in the air,” financial daily Imerisia wrote on its front page, warning in an editorial: “The country is moving to the brink of collapse and hopes for restoring the political stability are fading away.”

President Karolos Papoulias must call a new election if he cannot persuade leaders to compromise. After a day of fruitless negotiations on Sunday, he invited politicians from the biggest three parties to return to the presidential mansion at 1630 GMT yesterday, along with a small leftist group.

But an official from the second biggest party, the radical leftist SYRIZA, said its 37-year-old leader Alexis Tsipras would not attend. The anti-bailout vote was divided among small parties but has now rallied behind Tsipras.

Polls show he would now place first if the vote is repeated, a prize that comes with a bonus of 50 extra seats in the 300-seat parliament.

Tsipras has consistently refused to join a coalition government with the establishment conservative and socialist parties that ruled Greece for decades, but were punished by voters last week for their role in agreeing the EU rescue, which requires deep cuts in wages and pensions.

Tsipras says he wants to keep Greece in the euro but the bailout deal must be torn up, a position shared by an overwhelming majority of Greeks but regarded by many in Brussels as untenable. European leaders say tearing up the bailout would require them to cut off funding, allow Greece to go bankrupt and eject it from the European single currency. “SYRIZA has paved the way for new elections. And this time, whether we like or not, they will be more like a referendum. We will have set ourselves the question whether we prefer the euro or the drachma,” centre-left daily Ethnos wrote in an editorial.

European officials who once refused to discuss the possibility of Greece’s exit from the euro now talk about it openly as a real, if painful, possibility. “Divorce is never smooth,” European Central Bank policymaker

Luc Coene told the Financial Times. “I guess an amicable divorce - if that was ever needed - would be possible, but I would still regret it.”

PARTNERS IN CRIME After meeting with Papoulias and the conservative and socialist leaders, Tsipras said of their coalition offer: “They are not asking for agreement, they are asking us to be their partners in crime and we will not be their accomplices”.

Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos said he was nonetheless holding on to hopes that a deal could still be salvaged, but warned time was running out. “The moment of truth has come. We either form a government or we go to elections,” said Venizelos, whose PASOK party finished a humiliating third in the election, a shadow of its former might. The leader of the smaller, moderate Democratic Left party, Fotis Kouvelis, will attend yesterday’s talks, his party said.

He commands enough seats to provide the conservatives and socialists with a majority, but has repeatedly said he would not join a coalition without Tsipras. “A government that does not ensure the participation of the second party will not have the necessary popular and parliamentary support,” Kouvelis told Antenna TV yesterday.

All seven political parties that won seats in last week’s election were given audiences with the president on Sunday, demonstrating the radical transformation that has taken place in just a week after generations of stable two-party rule. Among parties Papoulias was obliged to meet was the far right Golden Dawn, in parliament for the first time. Many Greeks watched in shock as the president, a revered 82-year-old veteran of the World War II anti-Nazi resistance, received the leader of a group whose members give Nazi-style salutes.

Papoulias, shown on TV smiling with other leaders, was stony faced when seated opposite Golden Dawn’s Nikalaos Mihaloliakos.

Journalists at the mansion sat on the ground in protest when Mihaloliakos entered and refused to ask questions when he left.

Supporters of the two establishment parties will be hoping that if a new election is held, Greeks will be frightened of the prospect of leaving the euro and return to the fold. As many as 78.1 percent want the new government to do whatever it takes to keep their country in the currency, a poll by Kappa Research for To Vima daily showed. But Europe is running out of patience. The front page of Germany’s influential Der Spiegel magazine headlined: “Acropolis, Adieu! Why Greece must leave the euro.” — Reuters

short trials, quick settlements and immediate results,” she said, pointing to studies that show than an efficient justice system is closely related to a country’s overall economic performance.

Italian areas with speedier civil justice have a higher per capita GDP. According to the employers’ lobby Confindustria every reduction of 10 percent in the length of civil proceedings involving companies can lead to a 0.3 percent increase in company growth and long-term investment. Italy has a backlog of 5.5 million civil cases, which Severino says will have to be tackled by “an enormous shovel”. A simple dispute among neighbors about who is responsible for the maintenance of a dividing wall, for example, can take years to settle.

The average time to settle a civil case is more than seven years and a criminal case nearly five.

JUDICIAL BOTTLENECK Severino said the Italian justice system needs “a filter” to cut the number of cases allowed to move on to the appeals level after the court of first instance. “The whole process is slowed up at the appeals level, it is an enormous bottleneck,” she said. “We have to get to the point where some cases are not permitted to enter the appeals process in the first place,” she said. She said the government is considering legislation to reform the civil code to block appeals in cases that are very similar to those already adjudicated on in the past, and to introduce rigid limitations on which cases can be appealed.

Another deterrent to foreign investment in Italy is organized crime, especially in the south, home to groups such as the Sicilian Mafia, the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta, and the Neapolitan Camorra. Severino said a growing number of companies in the south are now refusing to pay protection money to organized crime and government programs that have confiscated properties from mob groups have greatly weakened their influence. — Reuters

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel grimaces as she addresses a press conference following a poor showing by her Christian Democratic Party (CDU) in regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, at the CDU headquarters yesterday. — AFP

German Chancellor weighs up party’s crushing defeat BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel was counting the cost yesterday of an historic drubbing for her conservative party in Germany’s most populous state, a major setback 16 months ahead of national elections. Voters in North Rhine Westphalia (NRW ) with its 18 million inhabitants, handed Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) its worst ever result in the state, just over 26 percent according to preliminary results.

With less than a year and a half to go until she seeks a third term in office, Merkel must now weigh up how to ensure a national victory for her CDU, as well as see through her eurozone crisisfighting policy.

“Catastrophe for the CDU,” mass circulation Bild said, adding the result would “make things difficult for Chancellor Angela Merkel”, while Die Welt commented that “the ground is shaking beneath Angela Merkel”. The snap election saw the main opposition Social Democrats (SPD) win 39 percent in NRW, home to the Ruhr industrial heartland. They now look set to again form a coalition government with the ecologist Greens. The vic-

tory may bolster the opposition in its bid to force Merkel to soften her austerity policy and is a further blow after voters punished governments in fellow eurozone nations France and Greece that had toed the line for German-imposed budgetary belt-tightening.

It also comes two days ahead of a highly anticipated meeting in Berlin between Merkel and France’s Socialist president-elect Francois Hollande who beat her centre-right ally on Europe, Nicolas Sarkozy. Gero Neugebauer, a political scientist from Berlin’s Free University, said Merkel had always denied the NRW vote had anything to do with support for her policy on Europe.

But he said critics could argue that “she has a strong position in Europe but at home she can’t ensure her party achieves a good result in an important state legislative election”. Hollande campaigned on a pledge to renegotiate the eurozone’s fiscal pact, agreed in March, which binds member states to austerity measures and which Merkel argues is essential to underpin the continent’s eventual recovery. — AFP

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F-35 costs have US partners worried Joint Strike Fighter a ‘technological wonder’ WASHINGTON: Countries backing the Pentagon’s new F-35 fighter jet are anxious about the program’s spiraling costs and incessant delays, with some postponing or cutting investments as they wait to see if the aircraft lives up to its promise. The United States touts the Joint Strike Fighter as a technological wonder that will slip past enemy radar and allow allied forces to keep operating in the skies alongside American warplanes. In coming decades, “the JSF will become a linchpin for future coalition operations and will help to close a crucial capability gap that will enhance the strength of our security alliances,” according to the chiefs of the F-35 project.

Launched in 2001, an international consortium of eight countries was created to help defray the costs of the aircraft and to ensure a future export market upfront, instead of having to secure customers after the plane was pro-

News

in brief

Six hacked to death BUJUMBURA: Villagers in northeast Burundi hacked to death a woman accused of witchcraft and five members of her family, including a baby and two other children, local authorities said yesterday. On Saturday “a group of people attacked the home of an old woman called Marthe Kabatesi in the Bwambarangwe district,” said Reverien Nzigamasabo, govenor of Kirundo province where the killings took place. “They hacked her to death with machetes,” he said. The assailants then attacked the woman’s two daughters and three grandchildren, including a three-month old baby.

“All the victims were killed by cuts to the head and neck,” Nzigamasabo said, calling the attack unjustifiable. He added that the old woman targeted had been accused of being responsible for deaths in the region. Witchcraft is widespread in some parts of the impoverished central African country and several people suspected by villagers of practicing sorcery are killed each year.

Iraq bombings kill 6 FALLUJAH: Six people were killed in attacks in central and northern Iraq yesterday, including five who died in a spate of bombings in the former insurgent bastion of Fallujah, officials said. In Fallujah, just west of Baghdad, three bomb attacks in close succession killed five people and wounded 18 others.

An initial car bomb detonated in the centre of the city, killing five people and wounding eight, Anbar provincial police spokesman First Lieutenant Ali AlAmiri and doctor Omar Dalli from Fallujah hospital said. Two more attacks-a motorcycle bomb and a roadside bomb-in the east and west of the city respectively wounded 10 more people, including two traffic policemen, the officials said. Explosives experts defused one more car bomb and two roadside bombs. Fallujah is in western Sunni Arab Anbar province. It was one of several towns along the Euphrates valley that became Al-Qaeda strongholds after the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. However, from 2006, local Sunni tribes sided with the US military and unrest dwindled in Anbar as rebel fighters were ejected from the region.

11 die as bus crashes MANILA: Eleven people died and 10 others were injured when a bus fell into a ravine in the northern Philippines, police said yesterday. Disaster struck near the town of Bontoc, 275 kilometers north of Manila, on Sunday when a bag fell off the vehicle as it labored up an uphill road and the driver stopped for it, a provincial police report said. The bus however rolled backwards until it pitched down a 150metre cliff. Rescuers pulled 11 corpses from the bottom of the ravine and rescued 14 people, including four who escaped injury.

7 perish in Afghanistan KABUL: A Taleban-type improvised bomb ripped through a bazaar in a remote town in northwestern Afghanistan yesterday, killing seven civilians and injuring eight others, police said. The blast in Ghormach district in the province of Faryab was the latest in a string of deadly bombings and suicide attacks since Taleban insurgents announced the start of their spring offensive earlier this month. A local councilor was among those killed by the remotely-detonated bomb, police spokesman Sayed Massoud Yaqoubi said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but similar incidents have in the past been blamed on the Taleban and other militants fighting to topple Kabul’s US-backed government. Now in its 11th year, the Taleban-led insurgency has expanded to most of the country from their traditional strongholds in southern and eastern Afghanistan along the rugged border with Pakistan. The annual spring offensive is launched as the weather conditions improve, providing the rebels easier passage between battlegrounds in Afghanistan and their hideouts in Pakistan’s lawless tribal regions.

Thatcher did not help Murdoch ‘buy’ Times LONDON: Rupert Murdoch did not ask Margaret Thatcher to bend the rules to allow him to buy the Times of London in 1981, one of his lawyers said yesterday, dismissing theories of a deal as “science fiction”. Lawyer Rhodri Davies said the media mogul had nothing to hide and rejected as baseless an accusation that Murdoch was suffering from “selective amnesia” when he said he had forgotten a 1981 meeting with the former British prime minister. “The suggestion that he must be lying is not an argument or a theory based on evidence, but a conviction,” Davies told an inquiry into press ethics, whose lead prosecutor Robert Jay made the accusation last week.

duced. But the F-35 has flown into political headwinds. The program, heralded as the future backbone of the US air fleet, was supposed to offer a more frugal approach than previous weapons projects. But a spate of technical setbacks has caused delays in production, driving up the pricetag for the radar-evading aircraft. The program’s costs have skyrocketed just as governments around the world are facing severe budget pressures and austerity measures.

In February, Italy reduced its planned purchase from 131 to 90 aircraft, as opponents promoted the slogan: “this plane would pay for 183 day care centers for 18,210 children.”

In the Netherlands, parliament adopted a motion in March demanding no more orders for F-35 fighters beyond the two planes already purchased. An initial plan for 138 aircraft in Britain has been dropped without a

firm number announced. London also reversed itself last week and renewed a plan to buy the short take-off, vertical landing version of the plane, the F-35B, instead of the conventional model, the F-35C, which the government said was plagued by unacceptable costs and delays.

Britain, however, has put off a final decision on the number of aircraft to be purchased until a strategic review in 2015, according to Defense Minister Philip Hammond. “But of course, if there is any slippage in the program, any reduction in the US numbers required could have impacts on availability and on unit costs,” Hammond said in January. From Canberra to Copenhagen and Oslo, flight test results and soaring costs for the F-35 are coming under intense scrutiny and causing political fallout. If the program fails to deliver, Tokyo “would have to look at either cancelling the contract or

opting for another model,” Japanese Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka said.

Japan and Israel are not part of the F35’s international consortium, but have signed up as customers.

The Joint Strike Fighter has triggered bitter accusations from the opposition in Canada, where an auditor general’s report charged the government with misleading parliament about the real cost of the plane. While the Canadian government said the program cost $9 billion, the auditor general concluded the true price was closer to $25 billion.

In response to the scathing report, Ottawa froze its purchasing budget for the plane at $9 billion and pledged to improve oversight of the project.

Norway and some other governments have opted to defer planned purchases amid doubts over whether such a sophisticated plane is necessary. US officials, who face less political pressure over the plane than their counterparts

abroad, hope they can avoid a worstcase scenario with global partners pulling out of the project, which could derail production plans and drive up the costs further.

Much will be riding on how the aircraft performs, and whether its sophisticated technology will deliver as advertised, experts say. As other countries hedge their bets, the commercial future of the F-35 remains an open question, according to Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at the Teal Group.

After more than a decade, “there’s one largely firm international customer, Japan,” he said. Otherwise, there are about 20 to 25 test aircraft for other countries. “That’s it. In other words, this is still potential,” Aboulafia added.

Everything will hinge on the F-35’s price and capabilities. “If it’s there, this plane will sell,” Aboulafia said, adding, however, that “we still don’t know.

That’s the biggest mystery.” — AFP

Iran turns off tracking systems on oil tankers UN inspectors push Iran on military site access WASHINGTON: In a bid to circumvent crippling international sanctions, Iran has been routinely switching off satellite tracking systems on its sea-bound oil tankers, The Washington Post reported late Sunday. Citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the practice has been going on for more than a month.

US officials and industr y analysts describe it as a cat-and-mouse game with Western governments seeking to enforce sanctions on Iranian exports, the report said. The unusual tactic was begun in early April and affects a quarter of Iran’s tanker fleet, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has been monitoring the practice, the paper noted.

The move, a violation of maritime law, is only modestly effective in hiding tankers as they ply the oceans in search of open ports and willing buyers, The Post said. But it underscores Iran’s precarious position as it faces ever-tighter Western restrictions against its oil industry, the paper noted. Iran relies on oil exports for around two-thirds of its foreign currency earnings. The Islamic republic is the second biggest exporter in OPEC, after Saudi Arabia. Last year, it exported some 2.6 million barrels per day of the 3.5 million bpd it pumped out of its huge reserves. The United States and the European Union have imposed their economic sanctions on Iran to pressure it over its disputed nuclear program.

IAEA, IRAN HOLD TALKS Meanwhile, the UN nuclear watchdog signaled yesterday it would press Iran for access to a military facility where it suspects the Islamic state has built a chamber for high-explosive tests that could serve a bid to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran, which rejects Western accusations it seeks atomic arms, has so far resisted requests by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the extensive Parchin complex southeast of Tehran. The issue was expected to be

raised during a high-level Vienna meeting today between Iran and the IAEA. An IAEA report last November found Iran had built a large containment vessel in 2000 at the site in which to conduct high-explosive tests that the UN agency said were “strong indicators of possible (nuclear) weapon development”. “A building was constructed at that time around a large cylindrical object ... A large earth berm was subsequently constructed between the building containing the cylinder and a neighboring build-

location to remove incriminating evidence before inspectors can go there. A US security institute said last week satellite imagery showed activity there which it said raised concern that Iran may be “washing” the building the IAEA wants to see.

DIPLOMACY REVIVED Nackaerts did not name the sites, but IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said earlier this month that gaining access to Parchin would be the priority for the

VIENNA: Press stand outside the Iranian permanent mission to the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) yesterday in Vienna. — AFP ing, indicating the probable use of high explosives in the chamber.”

The IAEA said it had obtained satellite images that were consistent with this information. The vessel was designed to contain the detonation of up to 70 kg of high explosives. Western diplomats say they suspect Iran may be cleaning the

IAEA in the talks. Western diplomats will be watching the discussions for any sign that Iran is now ready to make concrete concessions, saying this would send a positive message ahead of the Baghdad talks. Iran and the powers involved in nuclear diplomacy - the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and

Mexico’s Obrador moves to 2nd MEXICO CITY: Leftist Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has moved up into a second-place tie in the latest voter survey by pollster BGC, but front-runner Enrique Pena Nieto maintains a large lead. With seven weeks to go until the July 1 election, Lopez Obrador, the 2006 runner-up, rose 3 percentage points to 26 percent, according to the poll for Monday’s edition of newspaper Excelsior, which BGC published on its website on Sunday. Josefina Vazquez Mota, of President Felipe Calderon’s National Action Par ty (PAN), slipped 2 points to 26 percent.

Both remained far behind hot favorite Pena Nieto, candidate of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI, who dipped 2 points to 45 percent, BGC said. Political analysts say they expect Pena Nieto to maintain his lead into the election, and many doubt that Lopez Obrador will be able to gain much more support. The PRI ruled Mexico for 71 years until it was ousted in 2000 by the PAN, whose support has faded because of its failure to create enough jobs and contain rampant drug-related violence that has killed 50,000 people in the last five years. A surge in recent violence could influence

voter preferences. On Sunday, 49 headless bodies were dumped on a highway near Mexico’s northern city of Monterrey in one of the country’s worst atrocities in recent years.

TV DEBATE The BGC survey followed last Sunday ’s televised debate between the presidential contenders. Pena Nieto’s debating skills had been seen as a potential liability ahead of the debate, but analysts said he held his own.

Initial opinion polls after the showdown suggested Lopez Obrador had performed better than Vazquez Mota in the exchanges. The second and final campaign debate will be on June 10. BGC interviewed 1,200 eligible voters between May 7 and 9 for the survey. The margin of error was 2.9 percentage points, it said.

Lopez Obrador may have gained some ground with his attacks in the debate that painted Pena Nieto as a creation of dominant broadcaster Televisa and a tool of prominent PRI elder statesmen dogged by accusations of corruption and cronyism.

The newspaper Reforma reported on Friday that Pena Nieto had paid leading broadcasters to make favorable comments about his

administration when he was governor of the state of Mexico, a populous region next to the capital, between 2005 and 2011. Pena Nieto denied this, but Lopez Obrador seized on it to press home his charges that the PRI hopeful is beholden to the owners of Televisa, who have been able to lobby against the introduction of more television broadcasters in Mexico. “My hypothesis is that Televisa wants to impose him as the next president of Mexico,” Lopez Obrador told reporters during a campaign stop in the Gulf of Mexico por t of Tampico on Sunday. — Reuters

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

Germany - revived negotiations in Istanbul last month after a 15-month hiatus and both sides say they hope for progress in Baghdad.

The resumption of diplomacy offers a chance to defuse tension that has led the United States and the European Union to try to block Iran’s oil exports through sanctions, and raised fears of a new Middle East war. The West suspects Iran is seeking to develop the capability to make nuclear bombs, although intelligence officials believe Tehran has not made a decision whether to actually build them.

HIGHER-GRADE ENRICHMENT The IAEA wants Iran to address in particular Western intelligence reports pointing to past and possibly current research activity relevant to developing the means and technologies to build nuclear weapons, including those suspected to have taken place at Parchin.

Iran says the accusations are fabricated.

It has suggested that a broader agreement with the IAEA -which regularly monitors Iran’s declared nuclear sites - on how to address the agency’s outstanding questions must be reached before it would consider letting inspectors into Parchin. Western diplomats see this as a stalling tactic and do not expect Iran suddenly to allow access to Parchin.

“I would be very surprised,” one diplomat said, suggesting that the Islamic Republic would want to extract the maximum diplomatic benefit from any such concession. At the Baghdad talks, the big powers will press for concrete confidence-building steps by Iran. A Western priority is for Iran to halt the highergrade uranium enrichment work it started two years ago and has since expanded, potentially shortening the time needed to build a bomb. Iran wants the meeting to yield a deal on an easing of sanctions, something the West will be reluctant to consider before seeing substantive concessions. — Agencies

Thousands still to be tried in Balkans SARAJEVO: As a UN court begins its last trial against Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic this week, thousands of suspects remain to be tried for atrocities committed during a decade of Balkans wars. Set up by the United Nations in 1993, the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague is tasked with trying senior military and political officials until the court closes its chambers in 2014. Meanwhile, local courts in the former Yugoslav republics are empowered to handle war crimes cases at a lower level. “We (judges and prosecutors) were here even before, but there was no political will to enable us to do our jobs,” as violence swept the former Yugoslav republics, Serbian war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic said.

“If we had done our jobs (at the time) there would have been no Srebrenica, no Sarajevo, no Vukovar,” atrocities committed in these towns that have become tragic symbols of notorious war crimes, Vukcevic said. So far, Vukcevic’s office has indicted 145 people, 63 of them already sentenced for war crimes committed in Bosnia, Kosovo and Croatia. More than 130,000 people were killed during the 1990s conflicts that tore the former Yugoslavia apart, among them 100,000 in Bosnia alone. “Families of all these people are still waiting for justice to be served,” Vukcevic noted.

Expelled from his village Barimo, eastern Bosnia,

by Bosnian Serb troops early in the war, Suljo Fejzic, 49, is still waiting for suspects to be charged with the murder of about 30 civilians, including many of his relatives. “We can overcome and maybe live in peace only when we know who killed our loved ones,” Fejzic said. In Bosnia, there are around 4,500 suspects, estimates prosecutor Dragan Corlija of the State Court that deals with war crimes. — AFP

12

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

international

Uighurs ‘face fight for existence’ against China TOKYO: Exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer said yesterday her people face a fight for their very existence against Chinese repression as a conference in Japan threatened to drive

a wedge between Tokyo and Beijing.

And in a move that looked likely to provoke China, Kadeer also visited Japan’s controversial Yasukuni shrine, which commemorates those respon-

TOKYO: The exiled president of the World Uighur Congress, Rebiya Kadeer delivers an opening speech at the opening session of the 4th World Uighur Congress yesterday. —AFP

sible for the brutal 20th-century invasions and occupations in the name of the emperor.

Ethnic Uighurs and their supporters from around the world gathered in the Japanese capital for a meeting aimed at pressing their claim for freedom from what Kadeer called China’s intensifying crackdown. “Before, we were fighting for our rights, we were protesting against China’s oppression,” Kadeer told reporters after opening the conference. “But now we face a fight for our existence.”

“The situation is now worse than it was in 2009,” when Uighurs demonstrated and clashed with the Chinese authorities, she said. Many Uighurs complain that they are the victims of state-sanctioned persecution and marginalization in their homeland in northwest China, aided by the migration of millions of Han Chinese into the territory. The resulting ethnic tensions have led to sporadic flashes of violence in the Xinjiang region, which is home to nine million Uighurs. Kadeer told the

meeting that Beijing’s policy of “forcible assimilation” was unacceptable in a modern democracy.

“The Chinese government says it is assimilating and eventually eliminating the Uighur people and other indigenous people... meanwhile China is becoming a global power,” she said at the opening of the congress. “We are peacefully struggling and hope the Chinese government will stop the repressing of Uighur people... and take political reforms to change their authoritarian rule,” she said. Beijing says it has poured money into Xinjiang in a bid to raise living standards and boost the local economy. Xinjiang authorities have also announced measures stipulating all businesses and projects hire more ethnic minority workers, but Uighurs say the rules are not always respected. After the morning session Uighur representatives, including Kadeer, visited Yasukuni.

The shrine is a hotspot in Japan’s relations with its Asian neighbors because it is dedicated to 2.5 million

Japanese killed in wars-including top World War II criminals-and is often seen as a symbol of the country’s wartime aggression. The visit highlights the strange bedfellows that issues such as Uighur separatism can often create: Japanese nationalists and wartime apologists are apt to make common cause with those who are a thorn in Beijing’s side. “As Uighurs always visit places that are dedicated to people who died for their country, we organized a tour to the shrine,” said Tomoyuki Hirose, a member of the Japan Uighur Association.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the WUC was “closely related to terrorist organizations”. “We urge the Japanese side to concretely respect China’s solemn demands, adopt measures to undo the damage and take concrete measures to uphold the larger interest of China-Japan relations,” he said. The gathering came after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met his Chinese

Japan’s assembly agrees to restart nuke reactors Japanese public wary, split on nuclear power TOKYO: The assembly in a western Japanese town that hosts a nuclear plant agreed yesterday it was necessary to restart two off-line reactors, its chairman said, the first such nod since all the country ’s stations were halted after the Fukushima crisis. With power shortages looming in the region when demand peaks this summer, the central government has been trying to win approval from towns and prefectures that host reactors. All 50 reactors are off-line since the last one shut down for maintenance on May 5. The government is set to urge businesses and consumers in Kansai Electric Power Co’s service area in western Japan to make voluntary power cuts of 15 percent this summer to cope with shortages, media reported. The Nikkei business daily, however, said that the government would also consider mandatory power cuts and rolling blackouts if necessary. Mandatory restrictions were imposed in some regions last year after the Fukushima crisis, the worst since

Chernobyl in 1986, with three reactors suffering meltdowns after the plant was hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami.

The central government last month said reactors No 3 and No 4 at Kansai Electric Power Co’s plant in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, 360 km west of Tokyo, were safe to restart. Officials must still persuade a wary public - including residents of regions close enough to be at risk from a nuclear accident but too distant to reap economic rewards - that a resumption is safe. Delays in setting up a new nuclear regulatory agency due to disputes in parliament have further spooked voters.

Kinya Shintani, the chairman of Ohi town assembly, said that the local economy and employment have been affected by the reactor halts. “Largely understanding the necessity of nuclear power and taking into consideration the residents’ opinions as well as the impact on consumers’ livelihoods and the economy, we decided to agree to a restart,” he said in a statement. Ohi received about 2.5 billion

yen ($31 million)in subsidies in the financial year to March 2010 related to Kansai Electric’s four reactors. Many jobs also depend in some way on the plant.

KANSAI SHARES UP, NEIGHBOURS WARY Kansai Electric’s share price closed up almost 5.6 percent after the news, helping the benchmark Nikkei share index break a three-day losing streak. Tokyo Electric Power Co, Japan’s biggest utility and the owner of the Fukushima nuclear plant, posted yesterday an annual loss of almost $10 billion as compensation claims for the radiation disaster brought it to the brink of bankruptcy and fuel costs soared after idling all its atomic plants. The central government has no legal obligation to win local approval, but is unlikely to proceed with restarts without the agreement of the host town and prefectural government. It is uncertain, though, whether Tokyo authorities would override opposition from nearby prefectures with public

opinion divided. A weekend survey by the pro-nuclear power Yomiuri newspaper showed that 45 percent of respondents backed restarting reactors deemed safe and an equal number were opposed.

Some critics say the government is making undue haste to get reactors up and running because surviving peak summer demand without nuclear power would make it hard to convince the public that atomic energy is vital.

Environmental group Greenpeace said the government’s “reckless push” to get reactors back in service “has left many communities thinking they have to choose between risks to their health and safety, and risks to their jobs and prosperity. Nuclear power produced nearly 30 percent of Japan’s electricity before the crisis. The government is working on a energy mix policy it hopes to unveil this summer, replacing a program that had aimed to boost the share of atomic power to more than 50 percent by 2030. —Reuters

A FORGOTTEN PEOPLE UN Humanitarian Affairs chief Valerie Amos, meeting internal refugees in the country’s north late last week, warned that their plight could worsen when the enormous sums being poured into the country as part of the US-led war and nation building effort disappear. “We are worried that people will be forgotten. We are worried that the sort of resources we need on the financial side are not going to be available,” Amos said. She cited a recent World Bank report, which says that up to 10 percent of the Afghan workforce has benefited from aid. “Thousands are at risk of losing their jobs,” she warned, saying that once the aid dries up, there will be more unemployed or even internally displaced. “We are going to need more assistance to avoid a disaster,” Director of Public Health for Balkh, Mirwais Rabi, told Amos at a meeting of Balkh offi-

cials. Amnesty International says 400 Afghans become internally displaced every day, and the organization predicts this number will swell. “It will be like when the Russians left all over again,” said Delbar, who left her home in northern Jowzjan province eight months ago after insurgents threatened her sons with violence when they refused to join them. After the Soviets’ humiliating defeat in their decade-long war against mujahideen fighters in 1989, Moscow continued to prop up the Communist government of Mohammad Najibullah. But when the Soviet Union collapsed two years later, the aid vanished, Najibullah was ousted in 1992 and civil war engulfed Afghanistan.

NOWHERE TO GO The first six months of 2011 - a year that saw civilian casualties rise for a fifth straight year-saw tremendous upheaval. The UN Refugee Agency estimates nearly 100,000 people became internal refugees in that period alone.

Applications by Afghans seeking asylum also reached their highest number in a decade, UN figures showed in January. Most were from those seeking work abroad. Even in the capital Kabul, often the first point of call for foreign aid and where the Afghan rich boast palatial homes, there are 35,000 internal refugees living in 30 makeshift camps. “We can’t go home as the fighting is so bad, but on the other hand we have no way to make a living here,” said Abdul Samad, an elder from eastern Laghman province at the Parwan-e-Se camp near the centre of Kabul.

Most of the 110 families at the camp, where the stench of human waste wafts above barefoot children playing in rubbish by mud homes, have applied for housing and land as part of a government scheme. While they wait out a time frame of usually five years, they have odd jobs carting food items for 15 Afghanis an hour (28 cents) and foreign NGOs provide some food and shelter.

“Our neighbors won’t let us in anymore,” Samad sighed, referring to Iran and Pakistan, where millions of Afghan refugees who fled the Soviet war and the Taleban still live. His long face downturned, he added: “So no doubt we will grow in size.” —Reuters

News

in brief

Indian police ‘disregard women’s dignity, rights’ MUMBAI: A leading rights group accused the Indian police yesterday of denying and disregarding the rights of women, highlighting the recent case of a pregnant sex worker who says she was beaten by an officer.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the government to overhaul its response to such gender-based violence, ahead of an activists’ protest in western Maharashtra state against the police’s alleged treatment of two women. “The state’s response to women who experience violence is often characterized by delay, denial, discrimination, and disregard for women’s dignity,” said Aruna Kashyap, HRW Asia researcher on women’s rights. “The system needs an urgent, substantial overhaul and officials who fail to carry out their duty or engage in discrimination against those who experience violence should face consequences.” The statement from the rights group detailed the case of two sex workers, one of whom was pregnant, who were allegedly beaten by police before their arrest last month in the city of Satara in Maharashtra. “When I fell on the floor and tried holding his leg begging him to stop because I was pregnant, he pushed me away and kicked me,” the woman, Anu Mokal, told HRW. She said that although police took her to the local hospital to see a doctor, they refused to allow her the prescribed medication, and she miscarried a few days after her release from custody. A third woman, teacher Soni Sori from central Chhattisgarh state, alleges the police sexually assaulted and tortured her while she was in custody after her arrest last year, accused of being a sympathizer of Maoist rebels.

Huge explosives uncovered COLOMBO: Sri Lankan security forces said they have uncovered a huge haul of weapons hidden by separatist Tamil Tiger rebels before they were crushed three years ago, including enough explosives to “blow up a town”. Police and military forces found 6,250 kilograms of plastic explosives buried in a jungle area where the rebels fought their final battles, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. “This is the biggest haul (on record) of explosives we have found,” he said. “The explosives, neatly packed in small bags, were buried near a bunker used by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam).” The guerrillas may have hidden the explosives for use against advancing government forces in the final days of fighting in May 2009, Rohana said, adding that there could be more hidden away in the area. A senior military official, who asked not to be identified, said the discovery was made following a civilian tip-off. “This quantity of explosives would be enough to blow up an entire town and we are surprised such a large amount was kept in one single place,” the official said. Searches were carried out Sunday in the mangroves of Nandikadal where Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was reportedly killed by troops on May 18, 2009, and in the adjoining Puthukkudiriruppu area, police said.

As foreign troops leave, Afghan refugees and poverty increase MAZAR-E-SHARIF: Gulam recalls the evening she fled her home in northern Afghanistan on foot, running with her teen daughters under the cloak of darkness to avoid cooking a dinner for 20 Taleban insurgents. “This Talib burst through my door and demanded I cook for them. But I had no money, and I was scared they would take my daughters,” Gulam said, pulling a stripy shawl tightly around her gaunt and wrinkled face.

That night six months ago, Gulam and her family joined the half a million Afghans who are internally displaced, mostly from conflict but also natural disasters, a number which has been steadily increasing since 2008.

Intensifying violence as NATO combat troops prepare to leave by end-2014 and a poor economic outlook in the face of shrink ing aid could spell a humanitarian disaster for Afghanistan, where a third already live beneath the poverty line. “Security in the country is terrible. Day by day there are more of us,” Gulam said while visiting the UN compound in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province. She left her mountainous village for a district on Afghanistan’s border with Uzbekistan, where she now lives in rented accommodation. Unable to find work, the widow receives meagerly handouts from male relatives. She says her husband was killed in an insurgent attack.

opposite number Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee MyungBak in a summit focusing on economic ties and the region’s response to North Korea.

Noda and Wen met Sunday for one-on-one talks, but reports from Beijing yesterday suggested the Chinese had sought to avoid a second high-level meeting as a way of expressing displeasure over Japan allowing the conference to go ahead on its soil. This year’s conference is the fourth after previous editions were held in Munich and in Washington. Kadeer said participants from more than 20 countries were at the meeting, which she said was being held in “the most democratic country in Asia”. “I am grateful for the Japanese government for issuing visas for us,” she said. “We had hoped 200 or 300 Uighurs could have gathered here, but some of our delegates were not allowed to get visas because of Chinese pressure on their countries of residence,” she told reporters. —AFP

MASINLOC: Photo shows a Filipino-owned fishing boat sailing off for a fishing expedition near the Scarborough Shoal from the port of Masinloc town in Zambales province. —AFP

Philippines and China impose fishing bans in disputed Sea MANILA: The Philippines and China will both impose fishing bans in the South China Sea where the two countries have been involved in a tense territorial standoff. China had already announced its annual ban, which it says is aimed at curbing over-fishing, and includes the waters around the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The Philippines yesterday refused to recognize China’s measure, which runs from May 16 to August 1, as it encompasses waters it considers as its own.

But Foreign Secretar y Alber t del Rosario said President Benigno Aquino welcomed the chance to replenish fish stocks and that the Philippines would issue its own ban. “We do not recognize China’s fishing ban in as much as portions of the ban encompass our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” del Rosario said in a statement. “However, the president has decided that in view of the accelerated depletion of our marine resources, it would be advisable for us to issue our own fishing ban for a period of time to replenish our fish stock.”

The standoff at the Scarborough Shoal began when China blocked an attempt by the Philippines on April 8 to arrest Chinese fishermen who were allegedly taking government-protected marine species from the area. The two

nations have since stationed non-military vessels at the shoal in an effort to assert their sovereignty over the area.

Depar tment of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said that no dates or exact areas had yet been set for the Philippine fishing ban. But he added that Philippine ships at the shoal, which sits about 230 kilometers from the main Philippine island of Luzon, would remain in the area. China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea, says it has imposed the fishing ban every year since 1999 to protect “maritime biological resources”.

Vietnam, which also claims part of the South China Sea, has complained that the Chinese fishing ban violates its EEZ, and has lodged a formal protest.

The Philippines also said yesterday it will lose out on about 2,000 Chinese tourists a year because of the dispute after Chinese travel agencies suspended trips. Philippine Tourism Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin said tour groups booked for May had been cancelled, reportedly on the request of Chinese tourism authorities. “ The effect was immediate but we hope it will be temporary,” she said. China is the fourth largest tourist market for the Philippines, with the average Chinese tourist staying about three days and spending $100-200 a day. —AFP

N Korea’s No 2 in Jakarta JAKARTA: North Korea’s ceremonial head of state is in Indonesia in what appears to be an effort to increase investment. Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea’s parliament, visited the national museum in Jakarta and attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the hero’s cemetery Monday. He meets President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and other officials yesterday. Kim’s three-day visit appears to be part of North Korean efforts to beef up trade and get guidance on improving the country ’s impoverished economy.

Indonesia plans to discuss tensions on the Korean peninsula amid concerns Pyongyang may conduct a third nuclear test. Kim also visited Singapore over the weekend. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak started a two-day visit to Myanmar yesterday.

Taiwan deploying ‘carrier killer’ anti-ship missiles TAIPEI: Taiwan is arming more of its fleet with its new “carrier killer” anti-ship missiles as China conducts further sea trials of its first aircraft carrier, local media said yesterday. Five of the Taiwanese navy’s eight Perry-class frigates have been armed with the supersonic Hsiung Ffeng (Brave Wind) III weapons, the Taipeibased China Times said. Some of its smaller patrol boats have also been equipped with the missiles, which are designed to cruise at a speed of Mach 2.0, or twice the speed of sound, with a range of up to 130 kilometers, the newspaper said. The defense ministry declined to comment on the report.

The China Times said the navy plans to deploy 120 such missiles-dubbed “aircraft carrier killers” by their developer-in a project costing an estimated Tw$12 billion ($400 million). The missiles were first unveiled by Taiwan in August last year on the same day that China began sea trials for its first aircraft carrier, a reconditioned 1980s-era warship originally commissioned by the Soviet navy. China has conducted seven sea trials of the ship since mid2011, the paper said, without identifying its source. Taiwan’s defense ministry has expressed alarm at China’s recent naval expansion, although one expert said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was still years away from operating a fully-equipped aircraft carrier. —AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

NEWS

A Chinese vendor waits for customers in Beijing yesterday. — AP

Iran ‘could order Hezbollah hit on Israel’ JERUSALEM: Lebanon’s Hezbollah may not want a new war with Israel but an order to attack would come from Tehran in the event of a strike on Iran, a senior military official in Israel’s northern command told AFP. And if the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad collapses, the resulting unrest could see Al-Qaeda type groups create chaos on the Syrian Golan Heights, he said in an interview conducted yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Any military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would likely spark a deadly response from its ally Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah warned on Friday that its missiles could strike anywhere inside the Jewish state.

But senior military officials do not believe Nasrallah wants another war with Israel and

would only attack as a direct result of orders from Tehran. “The biggest spending of Iran in 30 years has been on the nuclear program, and Hezbollah is the second,” the Israeli official told AFP, adding that Tehran’s aim was to create “Iranian footprints near the border with Israel”. “If something would happen in Iran, it’s a tool that they can use in all kinds of scenarios,” he said. “They (Iran) have so many high-ranking officials in Lebanon. I don’t think this is a decision of Nasrallah - he will get orders. That’s why he was created,” said the official.

“If you ask Nasrallah today, he would say ‘no’ (to a new war with Israel) but I don’t think that’s his call,” he said. “Nasrallah understood the power of Israel and he is still licking his wounds.” He said other scenarios which could spark a new conflict

between Israel and Hezbollah include an attack on Israelis abroad or the transfer to Hezbollah of chemical weapons from Syria, which is in the throes of a brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests.

Last month, Major General Yair Golan, head of the Israeli military’s northern command, said the ongoing bloodshed in Syria raised fears that Damascus’ weapons stockpiles, which included the “world’s largest stockpile of chemical weapons,” could end up in Hezbollah’s hands.

But the military official said Israel also feared the collapse of Assad’s regime could see the Syrian Golan Heights fall to groups like Al-Qaeda. “If the Assad regime will fall, the biggest threat is that the northern border, the no-man’s land, can be

10-year prison term for tweeter upheld Continued from Page 1 lawyer, Khaled Al-Shatti, told Reuters. “The new law will only take effect in the future,” he said. If Naqi is found guilty of endangering state security the maximum penalty he could face would be 10 years in jail, Shatti added.

Twitter is extremely popular in Kuwait. One million accounts were registered in the country of 3.6 million as of April, a two-fold rise in 12 months, according to Parisbased Semiocast, which compiles Twitter data.

Although Kuwait has largely been spared the sectarian violence that has flared in other countries in the region, the Sunni government is acutely aware of the risk of tensions between Sunnis and minority Shiites boiling over. The authorities are particularly sensitive to developments in Bahrain, where the Sunni monarchy has cracked down on mainly Shiite protesters. In the past, those convicted of blasphemy in Kuwait or of insulting Gulf rulers have faced fines or jail terms of varying lengths depending on the severity of the comments, lawyers say. — Agencies

Gulf states delay thorny decisions on...

Continued from Page 1 who have jealously guarded their turf. He said that Gulf leaders had agreed to sign an agreement struck by interior ministers on closer security cooperation and that ministers would work “day and night” in economic, political, security and military committees set up since a summit last December to prepare the ground for union.

Another perceived threat spurring Gulf Arab integration is Al-Qaeda, whose militants have flourished in the disorder thrown up by the uprising in Yemen, on Saudi Arabia’s southwest flank. Formed in 1981 by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the GCC aimed to counter Iraqi and Iranian influence at the time. Saudi King Abdullah called on the six to move “to the stage of unity in a single entity” at a summit last year.

That meeting set up a committee to study the proposal. The union calls for economic, political and military coordination and a new decision-making body based in Riyadh, replacing the current GCC Secretariat. The next summit is due in Manama in December.

Bahrain’s monarch headed a large delegation that included royal court minister Khaled bin Ahmed, a leading hardliner within the ruling Al-Khalifa family seen as opposing granting concessions to Shiites who have led prodemocracy protests. “We look forward today to the establishment of the Gulf Union,” said Bahrain’s King Hamad in a statement released by Bahrain’s state news agency when he arrived in Riyadh. Gulf Arabs accuse Iran, the nonArab Shiite power which is seeking to extend its sway in the region, of fomenting recent unrest in Bahrain - a charge Iran and protesters deny.

Tehran, which has lauded the Bahrain uprising as an “Islamic awakening”, reacted to the union proposals with alarm. “Saudi Arabia and the ruler of Bahrain know that without doubt these foolish measures will make the Bahraini people more united against the occupiers,” a statement by 190 members of Iran’s parliament said yesterday, referring to Saudi military support for Manama. The letter, read out in the 290-member parliament and signed by 190 MPs, warned that “the crisis in Bahrain will be transferred to Saudi Arabia and will push the region towards insecurity”.

Prince Saud chided Iran for objecting. “The threats from Iran are not

acceptable,” he said, calling for a political resolution of a territorial dispute between Iran and the UAE. “Even if we reach the path of union, Iran should not interfere.” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a surprise visit to the island of Abu Musa last month, stirring Saudi and UAE fears of Iranian expansionism. Gulf leaders have been alarmed about Iran since the 2003 invasion of Iraq brought Iran-allied Shi’ites to power in Baghdad and Tehran’s nuclear energy program became an international bone of contention.

Iran says that program aims solely to produce electricity for a growing nation of more than 70 million people, but Gulf dynasties such as Al-Saud fear that an Iran with nuclear weapons ability will act like the policeman of the Gulf and could even make a deal with Washington affirming such a role. The United States has been muted in its criticism of an old ally for its handling of the Arab Spring protests, last week approving some arms sales.

Washington is able to patrol the Gulf waters via its Fifth Fleet stationed in Manama.

The speculation about union in recent weeks - after the Saudi foreign minister gave a speech last month spelling out apparent details - has met with some public objections. There are concerns about how much clout would be handed to Saudi Arabia as the bloc’s de facto power, and whether its ultraconservative views could cast shadows over Western-friendly centers such as Dubai and Doha. Gulf analysts say some GCC members are averse to further integration, fearing a loss of sovereignty, while Sunni hardliners in Bahrain have pushed the idea of a confederation with Saudi Arabia as a way to pull the carpet from under the feet of the Shiite opposition as protests carry on.

The ruling Al-Saud family enjoys close personal ties with Bahrain’s AlKhalifa clan and Saudi citizens regularly travel across the 25 km causeway to Bahrain on weekends. A Saudi spokesman was not available for comment. “When the European countries decided to move to a union, they went through discussions and everybody voted for or against,” leader of the opposition Wefaq party Ali Salman told a rally on Sunday night. “This is how governments that respect their people deal with such matters.”

Protesters burned tyres in Manama yesterday morning, sending plumes of

smoke over the airport. Some 81 people have died in violence during 15 months of unrest, according to activists.

Analysts say that by joining up with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia would gain more say over its tiny neighbour’s security, and that could ruffle feathers among other Gulf states. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top exporter, is by far the largest and most powerful of the Gulf Arab states. The UAE and Oman whose respective leaders Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan and Sultan Qaboos did not attend the Riyadh talks - pulled out of a single currency scheme which would involve a Gulf central bank based in Riyadh.

Not all Saudis think integration is a good idea either. “If we join with Bahrain we risk importing their problems,” said Abdullah Al-Shammari, a Saudi political analyst. Liberal civil society groups in Gulf states also called yesterday on Saudi and Bahraini leaders to postpone plans to announce a union between them, saying such a step must be preceded by a referendum. “We urge the Saudi and Bahraini leaderships to review such a step and calculate the reactions of the two peoples,” the Gulf Forum for Civil Societies said in a statement signed by its secretary general Anwar Al-Rasheed. “We believe that postponing the announcement of such a step at this time will be appropriate,” said the forum which consists of mostly liberal activists from the GCC states.

The forum said a Saudi-Bahraini union “will not succeed if it is not preceded by taking the opinions of the Saudi and Bahraini peoples in order to gain legitimacy ”, and called for a European Union-style referendum. The activists said that actions by the energy-rich GCC governments have so far been directed at averting the impact of sweeping pro-democracy protests in the Arab world but without fulfilling the ambitions of the people.

“For all the sense more GCC integration makes, the challenges to a European Union-like structure is fraught with questions, challenges and potential pitfalls,” said an editorial yesterday in the Abu Dhabi-based The National newspaper, which of ten reflec ts the views of UAE authorities. “ The UAE has spent many years forging an independent stance in world affairs,” said the editorial. “Closer integration with its neighbors is welcome, but not at the expense of losing the countr y ’s unique influence.” — Agencies

taken over by groups like Al-Qaeda,” he said, raising fears the strategic plateau could turn into the next Sinai, where a wave of lawlessness has left the Egyptian army struggling powerless to rein in militant activity.

Last year, gunmen snuck across the border from the Egyptian territory and carried out attacks in southern Israel that killed eight people.

“This could happen if the Assad regime collapses,” the official warned. Should Assad fall, it was likely to deal a very heavy blow to Hezbollah, which stood to lose a key ally in terms of weapons and logistical support, he said.

“Hezbollah is very worried about what is going on in Syria because all their logistics are there,” he said. “If the Assad regime collapses, they will be

alone in this region and will have no border with a friend that can help and support it. They are very worried about it,” he said. “That’s why Hezbollah is working very hard to support the Assad regime.”

Hezbollah’s main fear was losing the support of Assad, whose minority Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shiism. “The top advisers from Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are helping Assad to slaughter his own people because they know that if Assad falls, this axis won’t work anymore because most of the (Syrian) people are Sunni,” he said. But such an outcome could also benefit Israel, he said.

“Without Syria, Hezbollah will be much more careful in its acts,” he said. — AFP

Palestinian inmates to end hunger strike Continued from Page 1 Palestinian officials said Egypt had drafted an agreement in Cairo with representatives of the Palestinian prisoners, and that inmates met during the day and had agreed to the terms. There was no immediate word from the prisoners as to whether any had actually ended their strike. An Egyptian official involved in the talks said that under yesterday’s deal to end the strike, Israel had agreed to end solitary confine ment for 19 prisoners and lifted a ban on visits to prisoners by relatives living in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Israel also agreed to improve other conditions of detention, and to free so-called administrative detainees once they complete their terms unless they are brought to cour t, the Egyptian official said. Gaza’s Hamas leaders hailed the strike as a successful campaign against Israel and celebrations quick ly spread to the streets where motorists honked horns, and passersby embraced and shouted “Allahu Akbar”, the Arabic for “God is greatest”. “This is a first step toward liberation and victor y,” said Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for the Islamist group.

Israel saw the deal as a goodwill gesture to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who holds sway in the West Bank, a territor y separate from Islamist-ruled Gaza. The terri-

tories, where Palestinians want a state, were captured by Israel in a 1967 war. M ark Regev, a spokesman for Prime M inister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had “negotiated an end to the strike” in answer to a request from Abbas. “It is our hope that this gesture by Israel will serve to build confidence between the parties and to further peace,” Regev said.

The hunger strikers included militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which reject peace with Israel, as well as members of Abbas’s Fatah group.

Israel’s Prisons Authority, confirming the deal to end the prisoners’ action, said “an agreement has been signed to bring about the end of a 28-day hunger strike by Palestinian security prisoners”.

Prisoners who sign a commitment “not to engage in actions contravening security inside the jails” would have prison conditions eased. In a statement, the Israeli authority said that improvements for such prisoners would include a lifting of solitary confinement and a possibility of relatives visiting from Gaza.

Relatives’ visits from Gaza were suspended after Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants and taken to Gaza in 2006. He was released last Oc tober in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel did not say whether it would free any administrative detainees, but pledged in its statement that

an inter ministerial team would look at prisoner requests and issue recommendations. Around 320 of Palestinian prisoners are held in “administrative detention”, a security measure Israel defends as a precaution to protect undercover sources.

Many of the other prisoners have been convicted of serious crimes, including murder.

Palestinian leaders say they should be treated as prisoners of war, something Israel rejects. Israel says the detentions without trial are necessary because some cases cannot be brought to open court for fear of exposing Palestinian intelligence sources who have cooperated with Israel.

Palestinians jailed by Israel are held in high esteem by their compatriots, who see them as heroes in what they term a struggle against occupation.

Two inmates who helped to launch the strike, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla of Islamic Jihad, were in the 77th day of their fast yesterday. Last week , Israel ’s Supreme Court turned down their request to be freed from detention without trial but said securit y authorities should consider releasing them for medical reasons. A month ago, Israel released hunger striker Khader Adnan, an Islamic Jihad member, amid concern he would die. He agreed to end his fast after 66 days in exchange for a promise not to renew his detention. — Reuters

Ex-premier snubs probe Continued from Page 1 The first panel is probing allegations that Sheikh Nasser had transferred public funds into his personal bank accounts overseas, while the second is investigating allegations that 13 former MPs received large cash deposits into their local bank accounts, which the opposition has claimed were political bribes.

MP Abdullatif Al-Ameeri, a member of the first panel, said the committee will reject Sheikh Nasser’s refusal to be questioned because there is no relation between the parliamentary probe and that of the special tribunal.

The special tribunal last week decided to close its probe into the allegations on the grounds of lack of sufficient evidence to press charges. The decision was criticized

by MP Musallam Al-Barrak, who was the first to expose the alleged transfers scandal in September, saying the tribunal failed to interview two former foreign ministers whose testimonies were vital to the probe. He also said that he has supplied the tribunal with documents to prove strong suspicions of corruption. Ameeri stressed that the judicial tribunal derives its powers from a law while the parliamentary probe panel gets its powers and authority from the constitution, which is more important.

Haider reportedly informed the bank deposits probe panel that he will not attend its meeting because he is a private person. The panel said that Haider has been summoned for questioning after some former MPs had reportedly said they received large sums of money from him.

In another development, secretary general of the National Assembly Allam Al-Kandari said yesterday that he saw MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel spit at Islamist MP Hamad Al-Matar during last Thursday’s session. Kandari told reporters that he immediately informed Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun of the incident. Juwaihel on Sunday categorically denied that he had spat at Matar and challenged anyone who saw him to announce it in public.

Kandari said he normally does not interfere between MPs, but because Juwaihel had mentioned him by name, he decided to give the statement. Matar had also reiterated that Juwaihel not only spat at him but also used “very strong foul language” to insult him. The national assembly has barred Juwaihel from attending regular sessions and meetings of committees for two weeks and is studying if it is legally possible to penalize him further for the unprecedented violation.

In a related development, Islamist Salaf MP Mohammad Al-Kandari yesterday strongly lashed out at Shiite cleric Mohammad Baqer Al-Mahri for his strong relations with Juwaihel. Kandari recalled a statement by Mahri last year vowing that they will work to ensure the success of Juwaihel in the National Assembly elections, and accused him of being more dangerous than Juwaihel to national unity. Islamist MP Mohammad Hayef meanwhile called for supporting the proposed plan to transform the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) into a union, saying it has become an urgent necessity.

He said the union is a popular demand by the Gulf people and those who oppose it do not wish good for the Gulf states.

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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Yahoo! reboot may be blessing in disguise

By Rob Lever he ousting of Yahoo!’s chief executive after less than a year forces the flagging Internet pioneer into another painful reboot, but some analysts say it could be a blessing in disguise.

Yahoo! boss Scott Thompson was ousted Sunday in the face of controversy about an inflated resume, resulting in a truce in a proxy war with mutinous shareholder Daniel Loeb. On the surface, the shakeup portends further disarray at a company that has been struggling against the Google juggernaut, and steadily losing market share in Internet search and advertising.

“This CEO mess is going to leave Yahoo! all tied up for at least several more quarters,” said independent analyst Jeff Kagan. Yahoo!’s share of overall US online ad revenue dropped from 15.7 percent in 2009 to just 9.5 percent last year, according to industry tracker eMarketer. While the online advertising market is expected to grow 23.3 percent to $39.5 billion this year, Yahoo!’s share of revenues will fall further to 7.4 percent, eMarketer says.

But some analysts say the changes will be an opportunity for Yahoo! to reposition the company which is fading in the search business. In April, Yahoo! accounted for just 13.5 percent of searches, in third place behind Google (66.5 percent) and Microsoft (15.4 percent), whose Bing engine powers Yahoo! under an agreement between the two firms. “We believe that under new leadership, Yahoo! is more likely to re-emerge as a premier, highly profitable online media company more quickly,” said analyst Jordan Rohan at Stifel Nicolaus in a research note. “Even more importantly, we believe Yahoo!’s newly constituted board will maximize and realize the value of its stake in (Chinese Internet firm) Alibaba. We would add to positions at current levels.”

Even more enthusiastic, Henry Blodget of the Business Insider said the turmoil could be “the best thing to happen to Yahoo! in years”. Blodget said the new Yahoo! board members “have expertise that Yahoo desperately needs” and that with Ross Levinsohn as interim CEO, “Yahoo is now, finally, being run by an executive who knows the business that Yahoo is actually in: digital media.” Levinsohn may use his experience as head of Fox Interactive Media, the new media arm of News Corp, and help steer Yahoo! away from challenging Google headon to focus on digital media. “It is one of the most powerful digital media companies in the world, with a staggering 700 million users a month,” he said. Under Thompson, Yahoo! dumped products along with workers in a quest to put the company back on course. Yahoo! said in April that it would slash some 2,000 jobs in a purge aimed at becoming a “smaller, nimbler, more profitable” company.

The 17-year-old firm had more than 14,000 employees at the end of 2011. Rohan at Stifel Nicolaus said there is a strong argument to be made that Yahoo!, with a market capitalization of around $19 billion, is undervalued. He sees the $15 share price rising to around $21.

Rohan said he bases his estimate on Yahoo! owning a 40 percent stake in Alibaba, which he said is worth $41 billion, and its 35 percent stake in Yahoo! Japan. He said Levinsohn is a good choice because he “has a visceral understanding of what it takes to succeed in the media business.” Yet some argue that Yahoo!’s new CEO still faces an uphill battle in finding a niche for the company. Rob Enderle at the consultancy Enderle Group said the turmoil will slow any effort to turn Yahoo! around.

He said one possible move is a sale of the company, but argued that “they need someone who can package the company” and turn things around to maximize its sale value. Enderle said Levinsohn in some respects “may be better qualified than Thompson” but that it is not clear if he will remain beyond an interim period. The challenge now is Yahoo! finding its path, said Enderle. “It’s got to decide what business it wants to do and reinvent itself and invest in that,” he said. — AFP

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Israeli-Arabs grow cooler to national service

By David Rosenberg ive years after the government launched a program to encourage Israeli-Arab youth to take time off from school and work to perform volunteer work in lieu army service, Israeli-Arab support for the program is lower than ever. A poll of Israeli-Arabs released this week found that only 39.7 percent of the country’s 18-22-year-old Arabs - the target demographic for the program - are personally willing to sign up for the national service program, down 53 percent in 2009.

Among all Israeli-Arabs, suppor t for national service has also become more tepid, with 62.2 percent backing the idea, down from as much as 78 percent in 2007. “ The general trend among Arabs in Israel over the last five years, and especially in last three years, is of a hardening of attitudes towards the Jewish state. Their views are becoming more critical of Israel and how they are treated by it.,” Sammy Smooha, the University of Haifa professor who conducted the survey, told The Media Line. Nevertheless, he stressed, the level of support is “still high,” especially given the controversy within the Israeli-Arab community on participating in the program.

The findings come as a public debate heats up over mandatory army service or its civilian alternative, a national program that places youth in schools, hospitals, community centers and other social programs for one or two years. The terms of the national unity government formed on Tuesday include a pledge for legislation

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that will require Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jews to serve in the army or to perform national service. Israeli-Arabs might be included in the law.

While Israel’s Jewish majority is subject to military draft, national service is offered as an alternative for those who cannot or will not join the army. Until 2007, the national service program was limited mainly to young Jewish women who declined to serve in the army for religious reasons; since then it has been expanded to include young Jewish men as well as Israeli-Arab men and women.

Since then, the number of Israel-Arab volunteers - nearly 90 percent of them female - has more than doubled since then to 2,399 in 2011-2012, according to the government’s Civil-National Service Administration, which runs the program.

Part of the recruitment drive, was to soften the image of the program by adding the word “Civil” to the name of the National Service Directorate, the body that oversees the program.

Despite the growing interest, however, national service remains a highly contentious issue among Israeli-Arabs, who make up about a quarter of Israel’s population. Organizations like the Haifa-based youth organization Baladna run campaigns in high schools and community centers discouraging national services.

“Anyone who volunteers for national service will be treated like a leper and will be vomited out of Arab society.” Jamal Zahalka, a lawmaker with Balad, an Israeli Arab political party, told a rally as the pro-

gram was getting under way in 2008.

National service strikes at the heart of the dilemma facing Israeli-Arabs. They view themselves as one and the same as the Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza or as refugees in neighboring countries, yet they are citizens of Israel and under the law are entitled to equal rights, even if in practice they face discrimination.

Events of the last two decades have only served to alienate many of them from Israeli society, starting with the Second Intifada in 2000 that led to years of violence between Israel and Palestinians. The 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israeli Arabs suffered from Hizbullah rockets as much as Jews, and Israel’s Cast Lead assault on Gaza in 2008 sharpened the dual-loyalty dilemma.

Domestically, said Haifa’s Smooha, many Israeli-Arabs are distressed by growing Jewish nationalism, particularly by the Yisrael Beiteinu Party, which is led by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Nevertheless, Smooha said the hostility many Israeli-Arab leaders express toward national service isn’t shared by ordinary people, which explains why the recruitment drive has been largely successful.

“We have more volunteers because the volunteers feel there are a lot benefits from service. In addition to personal benefits, they contribute to Arab society and to the state. They do not see a contradiction between the two,” he said.

Israeli-Arab national service volunteers tend to work inside their own communities, which Smooha said undermines the

contention of its opponents, like Zahalka, that volunteering will cause Israeli-Arabs to assimilate into broader Israeli society.

On the other hand, it also means that national service is not helping IsraeliArabs to better integrate into general Israeli society. The survey, which was conducted together with Zohar Lechtman, a lecturer at the Western Galilee Academic College last year, found that a high proportion of current and former national service volunteers expressed support for the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, a position that is controversial among Israeli-Arabs who argue that Israel cannot be both.

Opposition to national service could grow worse if plans move ahead to make it compulsorily, an idea that won the back ing of Prime M inister Benjamin Netanyahu last month and has long been supported by Lieberman. Based on his survey, Smooha said that most IsraeliArab look positively on national service as a voluntary contribution to their communities and the state.

By forcing young people to join, it will turn into a burden and provoke those who worry that it will eventually lead to mandator y army ser vice, from which Israeli-Arabs are now exempt. “If the leadership is opposed to voluntary service, they will oppose compulsory services even more and may be able to mobilize the population,” Smooha said. “It will not bring the Arabs nearer to the state. and it will become a real bone of contention between Arabs and Jews.” — Media Line

GCC union: An EU or a NATO or a nothing?

By David Rosenberg ill it be a union of guns or of butter? Or it will be a union at all? That is the question hovering over plans articulated by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members to strengthen their 31-year old organization as they met yesterday at a lavish Riyadh palace. Hints were being dropped about the parameters of such a union in the run-up to the meeting, most of them coming from Bahraini leaders tripping over themselves with contradictory comments. Samira Rajab, minister of state for information affairs, spoke about a union between her country and Saudi Arabia as the first stage of a wider confederation while Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa said “the union covers all the countries”.

Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman AlKhalifa signaled to a local newspaper that the union would lead to a political union.

“The great dream of the peoples of the region is to see the day when the borders disappear with a union that creates one Gulf,” he said in an interview. Meanwhile, he added, it would focus on security and defense while Rajab said it could follow the “European Union model”, suggesting it would be primarily an economic confederation.

But Theodore Karasik, director for research and development at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said he has little doubt that the GCC countries, led by its biggest and most powerful member Saudi Arabia, have defense issues on their mind. “ The economy as unifying forces is unfeasible because of differences in the economies between a lot of the states. But when it comes to defense and security, that’s a different matter,” he told The Media Line. “From the GCC perspective the monarchies of the region are surrounded by instability related to the aftermath of the Arab Spring as well as ongoing events in Iran, Iraq and Yemen.”

The standoff between Iran and the West over Tehran nuclear ambitions has ratcheted up tensions in the Gulf. The governments in Iraq and Yemen are coping with

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serious domestic turmoil, as is GCC member Bahrain, compounding the worries of the Gulf monarchies. Their oil wealth enables the GCC countries to stock up on military hardware but their military might is constrained by small populations and a lack of combat experience.

The GCC was formed in 1981 as a way for the Gulf Arab monarchies to bolster security after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution and its war with Iraq. But the organization has never come close to cooperating on military matters in the spirit of NATO. Nor did it ever succeed in creating much-touted plans for monetary and customs unions.

Even with the threat perception heightened in recent months, mistrust among the GCC states has snagged plans to deploy a joint missile shield, which Washington has long urged as the best means of defense against any strike by Iran. GCC governments have spent billions on US-made antimissile platforms but have failed to build a unified umbrella and an early-warning sys-

tem. Analysts note that the six GCC countries are not even in agreement about Iran, with Oman and Qatar taking a softer line than the Saudis. The smaller countries, which include the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait, are zealous of their independence from their Saudi neighbor. While all are conservative Sunni Muslim kingdoms, some like the UAE and Bahrain are more freewheeling in their social and openness to foreign influence.

Justin Gengler, a Doha-based researcher whose blog Religion and Politics in Bahrain follows domestic developments in the island kingdom, said Saudi Arabia is using the GCC union proposal to send messages to Iran, the US and Bahrain. “There is genuine desire among the Gulf Arab countries to project the image of unity and strength not only in the face of Iran, the most obvious target, but toward the US,” Gengler told The Media Line.

Although ostensibly on the same page over the Iran threat, Saudi Arabia has been

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (right) drinks Arabic coffee as he welcomes Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa upon his arrival to take part in the opening of the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh yesterday. — AP

wary of Washington’s behavior since the outbreak of the Arab Spring. The US backed the ouster of their common ally, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, last year when mass protests against his regime exploded across Egypt. While the US has been less forthright in backing the opposition in Bahrain, and indeed, announced it was resuming arms sales to the regime, the Saudis remained concerned about America’s reliability. Gengler said that many Gulf Arabs believe the US wants to maintain a strong Iran as a counter-weight to their own power.

They point to the Iraq War, which enhanced Tehran’s power by toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein and leaving a Shiite-dominated state, and view the current nuclear talks with Tehran with some distress as a channel for warmer US-Iranian ties. To Washington, then, the message is: “‘We are not utterly reliant on you for security. If you’re willing to pick and choose when to support your allies in the region and when not to (then) maybe we will have to take steps to ensure our own security,’” Gengler said.

Vis a vis Bahrain, Riyadh is worried about the implications of continued division within the ruling Al Khalifa family, and the latter’s resulting failure to put down a 15-month-old rebellion led by the country’s Shiite majority calling for political reform. “The talk of union is at least partly a message to Bahrain’s ruling family: find a way to move the situation forward, or else we’ll do it for you,” Gengler said.

“The Saudis [clearly] don’t want to [see a] Shiite government in Bahrain, but they [also] don’t want to see a more radicalized Shiite population combined with something [even] more dangerous - which is [a once-passive] Sunni [community demanding a much larger role] in politics.”

Saudi Arabia has its own Shiite population, which has also been showing signs of restlessness. But they are a small minority.

The notion of Sunnis, who make up the lion’s share of Saudi Arabia’s population, becoming politically active, strikes at the heart of the kingdom’s absolute monarchy. —Media Line

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

sp orts Van Nistelrooy retires aged 35

Bilic to coach Lokomotiv

Aston Villa sack McLeish

MADRID: Malaga’s Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy announced his retirement yesterday, saying at the age of 35 his body could take no more.

“Yesterday was my last game as a professional player,” Van Nistelrooy told a news conference, referring to Malaga’s 1-0 win over Sporting Gijon that secured them fourth place in La Liga and a first venture into the Champions League for next season.

“The reality is that the moment has arrived to leave football.

The top level of Spanish football and the Champions League force me to recognise I have reached my physical limit. It couldn’t be a better time to say goodbye, in a moment of such euphoria.”

Van Nistelrooy won league titles in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven, in England with Manchester United and in Spain with Real Madrid. He has scored 34 international goals for the Netherlands. —Reuters

MOSCOW: Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, who will step down after Euro 2012, has agreed to take charge of Lokomotiv Moscow, the Russian Premier League club said yesterday. “I’m very glad we were able to sign a contract with such a top coach,” Lokomotiv president Olga Smorodskaya told the club’s website (www.fclm.ru).

“Bilic is one of the best coaches in Europe and we had to beat many clubs, including those from the English Premier League, in order to sign him.” The 43-year-old Croat signed a three-year deal with the railway side and replaces Portuguese coach Jose Couceiro, whose contract was not renewed following a disappointing season. Lokomotiv, who lost to city rivals Spartak 2-0 in the season’s finale on Sunday, finished seventh and missed a spot in the Europa League next season.

Bilic becomes the second high-profile foreign coach to join a top Russian club in two days after Spartak Moscow announced on Sunday the hiring of former Valencia boss, Spaniard Unai Emery.

“Lokomotiv is a big club and it’s a big challenge for me,” Bilic was quoted as saying by local media. “But I have ambitions to achieve a good result here.” After hanging up his boots in 2001, the former Croatia international coached his hometown club Hajduk Split before taking charge of his country’s national team in 2006. —Reuters

BIRMINGHAM: Alex McLeish was sacked as manager of Aston Villa yesterday, fewer than 24 hours after the end of his first season in charge. In a statement, the Premier League club said McLeish’s contract had been “terminated with immediate effect”. The Scot was an unpopular appointment with many Villa fans after he oversaw city rivals Birmingham’s relegation from the Premier League last term. And he only narrowly avoided a similar fate with Villa this season, the club finishing just two points above the bottom three to stay in English football’s top flight. “The club has been disappointed with this season’s results, performances and the general message these have sent to our fans,” the Villa statement added.

“The board wishes to assure supporters that we are conscious in every sense that Villa expects and deserves more and we will strive to deliver this.” Villa ended the campaign with a run of nine winless matches and for the club’s USbased owner Randy Lerner, never mind fans capable of recalling the Midlands side’s 1982 European Cup triumph, that just wasn’t good enough. — AFP

MLB results/standings Seattle 6, NY Yankees 2; Miami 8, NY Mets 4; Cincinnati 9, Washington 6; Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 8; Boston 12, Cleveland 1; Philadelphia 3, San Diego 2; Pittsburgh 3, Houston 2 (12 innings); Chicago Cubs 8, Milwaukee 2; Kansas City 9, Chicago White Sox 1; Minnesota 4, Toronto 3; Atlanta 7, St. Louis 4; Detroit 3, Oakland 1; San Francisco 7, Arizona 3; LA Dodgers 11, Colorado 5; Texas 13, LA Angels 6.

American League Eastern Division W L PCT 22 13 .629 Baltimore Tampa Bay 21 14 .600 NY Yankees 19 15 .559 Toronto 19 16 .543 Boston 15 19 .441 Central Division Cleveland 18 16 .529 17 17 .500 Detroit C’ White Sox 16 19 .457 Kansas City 13 20 .394 Minnesota 10 24 .294 Western Division Texas 23 12 .657 18 17 .514 Oakland Seattle 16 20 .444 LA Angels 15 20 .429

GB 1 2.5 3 6.5 1 2.5 4.5 8 5 7.5 8

National League Eastern Division Atlanta 22 13 .629 .618 0.5 Washington 21 13 NY Mets 19 15 .559 2.5 Miami 18 16 .529 3.5 Philadelphia 16 19 .457 6 Central Division St. Louis 20 14 .588 17 16 .515 2.5 Cincinnati Pittsburgh 16 18 .471 4 Milwaukee 15 19 .441 5 Houston 15 19 .441 5 Chicago Cubs 14 20 .412 6 Western Division LA Dodgers 23 11 .676 .500 6 San Francisco 17 17 Arizona 15 20 .429 8.5 Colorado 13 20 .394 9.5 San Diego 12 23 .343 11.5

Reds roll past Nationals CINCINNATI: Joey Votto hit a grand slam in the ninth inning for his third home run of the game, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a rain-delayed 9-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Votto hit solo homers in his first two atbats and finished a big day with his second career slam with two outs in the ninth.

Washington came into the game with only 15 homers allowed all season, fewest in the majors. Votto broke out of his power drought and helped the Reds avoid a sweep with three perfect swings.

The last one came against struggling closer Henry Rodriguez (1-3), who had trouble with his control on the wet mound.

Rodriguez walked two batters to load the bases with two outs, then left a 2-2 pitch up and over the plate to Votto.

CINCINNATI: Reds’ Joey Votto (19) rounds the bases past Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche after hitting a grand slam off relief pitcher Henry Rodriguez in the ninth inning of a baseball game. —AP The 2010 National League most valuable player hadn’t homered since April 30 and had only two coming into the game.

He finished with a career-high six RBIs and the second three-homer game of his career. The last player to hit a game-ending home run in a three-homer game was Albert Pujols for St. Louis against Cincinnati on April 16, 2006, according to STATS LLC. STATS said it was the first time since at least 1957 that a major league player hit a game-ending grand slam for his third home run. The relevant data needed to go back before that season is incomplete.

Marlins 8, Mets 4 At Miami, Giancarlo Stanton hit a twoout grand slam to cap a ninth-inning rally by the Miami Marlins, who beat an angry Frank Francisco and the New York Mets.

The walk-off victory was the second in the three-game series for the Marlins, who have won 10 of their past 12 games.

It was the first time in 14 years that there were two walk-off slams on one day, according to STATS LLC. Mo Vaughn connected for Boston and Steve Finley for San Diego on April 10, 1998.

The Marlins trailed 4-2 when Emilio Bonifacio led off the ninth with his second triple of the game against Francisco (1-3).

John Buck walked and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs followed with an RBI single.

Francisco was then replaced, and he walked slowly toward plate umpire Todd

Tichenor, shouting angrily. Manager Terry Collins stepped between Tichenor and Francisco, who waved his index finger and then his cap at the ump before finally heading to the dugout. Francisco was ejected even though he was already out of the game.

Phillies 3, Padres 2 At Philadelphia, Cole Hamels was stellar on the mound in his return from a fivegame suspension, allowing one run in seven innings to help Philadelphia beat San Diego. Hamels (5-1) was suspended by Major League Baseball after the left-hander intentionally hit Washington rookie Bryce Harper with a pitch. It was Hamel’s fifth victory in his last six starts - all Philadelphia wins. The San Diego native allowed five hits while striking out five. Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Jimmy Rollins opened the game with his first homer this season off Jeff Suppan (21), who gave up three runs - two earned and six hits over six innings. It was the 38th leadoff home run for Rollins.

Yankees humbled by Mariners NEW YORK: Andy Pettitte made his much-anticipated return to the Yankees on Sunday, getting lavished with adoration while pitching into the seventh inning despite giving up a pair of tworun homers in New York’s 6-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Nearly lost amid the excitement over Pettitte’s first major league appearance since retiring after the 2010 season was party crasher Kevin Millwood’s performance for Seattle - helped by three double plays. The 37-yearold Millwood (1-4) gave up three hits in seven innings and got his 2,000th career strikeout as Seattle avoided a three-game sweep.

The Yankees tried to prevent their old pal Pettitte from taking the loss with a rally in the eighth against four Seattle relievers.

Robinson Cano was walked with two outs by Charlie Furbush with the bases loaded to make it 4-2.

Mark Teixeira, though, struck out to end the inning.

en innings to win his four th straight decision as Detroit beat ailing Oakland to salvage a series split.

Miguel Cabrera hit a pair of

Rays 9, Orioles 8 At Baltimore, Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, and Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBIs as Tampa Bay held on to beat Baltimore.

James Shields earned his sixth win as the Rays snapped a threegame skid with their second win in eight games. Tampa Bay entered the series tied atop the AL East with Baltimore.

The Rays led 7-1 in the fourth inning and 9-6 in the eighth, but it was 9-8 when Fernando Rodney ended it with runners on second and third for his 10th save. Shields (6-1) gave up six runs, four earned, and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings.

NEW YORK: Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium. —AP

Tigers 3, Athletics 1 At Oakland, California, Justin Verlander struck out eight in sev-

RBI singles and Austin Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to put Detroit ahead, helping Verlander (4-1) win his 13th straight road decision.

Seth Smith hit a solo homer for Oakland and Jarrod Parker (11) worked 5 2-3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

Red Sox 12, Indians 1 At Boston, Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered during a six-run seventh inning and drove in five runs to lead Boston past Cleveland.

Rookie Will Middlebrooks hit his fourth homer for the Red Sox, who have rebounded from a 1-8 skid with three straight wins.

Daniel Bard (3-4) sur vived some early control problems and held the Indians to one run despite walking four and allowing six hits over six innings.

Justin Masterson (1-3) also had control issues, falling behind 4-0 while facing all nine Boston batters in the first inning. He lasted six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits.

Rangers 13, Angels 6 At Arlington, Texas, Nelson Cruz hit his third career grand slam and Josh Hamilton drove in three runs as Texas beat the Los Angeles to hand Jered Weaver his first loss.

The slam by Cruz capped a five-run third for the Rangers.

Hamilton chased Weaver an inning later with a two-run double that made it 8-2.

Weaver (5-1), in his second start since throwing a no-hitter,

gave up 10 hits and eight runs in only 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since 2009.

Neftali Feliz (3-1), the closerturned-starter for Texas, struck out five while allowing two runs over six inning. Elvis Andrus matched a career high with four hits for Texas, which took two of three from the Angels.

Royals 9, White Sox 1 At Chicago, Jeff Francoeur hit his first homer of the season and pinch-hitter Johnny Giavotella had a two-run double to lead Kansas City over Chicago.

Alcides Escobar went 3 for 3 with two walks for Kansas City, which broke it open with six runs in the ninth inning. Francoeur also had an RBI single and made a nice play in right field.

Starter Danny Duffy recorded two outs before he trudged off the mound following a short discussion with manager Ned Yost and a trainer. Luis Mendoza (2-2) came in and pitched 5 2-3 innings, allowing one run and seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Twins 4, Blue Jays 3 At Minneapolis, Scott Diamond pitched seven shutout innings and Brian Dozier hit his first career homer as Minnesota Twins held on to beat Toronto.

Ryan Doumit and Jamey Carroll added two hits apiece for the Twins, and Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save in as many chances.

Yunel Escobar and Eric Thames knocked in runs for Toronto, which closed a 5-5 road trip. Diamond (2-0) allowed five hits and struck out four without a walk.

Toronto starter Ricky Romero (4-1) allowed nine hits in 5 1-3 innings, walked five and did not strike out a batter for the first time in 101 career starts. —AP

Braves 7, Cardinals 4 At St. Louis, Jason Heyward ended a 10pitch at-bat with a three-run double in the third inning as Atlanta beat St. Louis to complete a three-game sweep and hand rookie Lance Lynn his first loss.

Tommy Hanson (4-3) allowed one run in five innings with nine strikeouts and Martin Prado, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla each had an RBI in a three-run seventh. The Braves had lost seven in a row in St. Louis before Friday and swept the Cardinals for the first time since Sept. 11-13, 2009, also in St. Louis. Carlos Beltran homered for the sixth time in six games with his leagueleading 13th of the season and Allen Craig hit a three-run shot off Cristhian Martinez in the ninth.

Dodgers 11, Rockies 5 At Los Angeles, Bobby Abreu hit a threerun double and AJ Ellis added a three-run homer during a sixth-inning rally that carried Ted Lilly and Los Angeles past Colorado. All-Star center fielder Matt Kemp, who leads the Dodgers with 12 homers and a .359 batting average, left the game because of an irritated left hamstring after grounding out in the third inning. He has played in 399 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the majors, but that streak is in serious jeopardy. He has an MRI scheduled for Monday.

Lilly (5-0) overcame a shaky start, allowing five runs - four earned - over 6 1-3 innings after giving up singles to each of his first four batters.

Giants 7, D’backs 3 At Phoenix, Melky Cabrera singled four times to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and Gregor Blanco drove in three runs with a pair of hits as San Francisco beat Arizona to take two of three from the Diamondbacks. Brett Pill hit a two-run homer and Barry Zito (2-1) earned his first win since his opening start. Jason Kubel went 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and drove in two runs for the Diamondbacks, who finished their homestand 1-5. San Francisco had a seasonhigh 14 hits, 10 of them against starter Joe Saunders (2-3). — AP

KBC Bowling Championship concludes KUWAIT: Under auspices of the chairman of board of the Kuwaiti Banks Club (KBC), Ahmed Sultan, KBC’s treasurer, Mohammed Al-Sayegh, chairman of the social committee, Reem AlWeqayyan and the assistant manager, Abbas AlBloushi, KBC recently concluded its 12th Bowling Championship for bankers held at the

Cosmo Bowling Court in Salmiya.

Ahli United Bank team won first place, KFH team came in second and NBK team winning the third place. In the trio-teams, the Gulf Bank came first followed by Al-Ahli United Bank in second place and Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait in third place.

The pairs teams competition, ABK won the

first place, GB won the second and KFH won the third place. The ladies competition was won by ABK’s Mona Sadeq in the first place, GB’s Bashayer Al-Ajran in the second place and Burgan Bank’s Samar palmer in the third place. A Special ceremony was held to honor the winners who were given special trophies.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

S P ORT S Phelps hopes he has not left training push too late ARLINGTON: Michael Phelps said on Sunday he hoped he had not left his push for the London Olympics too late as he tries to improve his times and form with the US Olympic trials coming next month. “I think the biggest thing right now is just being able to make steps in the right direction,” 14-time gold medalist Phelps told reporters at the US Olympic Committee media summit in Arlington, Texas. “I think I’ve caught up a lot.”

In the four years since he won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, Phelps has failed to reach those same dizzy heights.

He suffered defeats at the each of the past two world championships and just a few days ago, at the Charlotte Grand Prix, one of the final lead-up events before next month’s US Olympic trials, he was beaten in both the 200 metres freestyle 200m butterfly.

“Michael swam some decent times for the training he’s doing right now,” his long-time coach Bob Bowman said. Phelps and Bowman hope an extended training session at altitude in Colorado will accelerate his return to form.

“We are heading to Colorado tomorrow and we always seem to be able to put in some good work

out there and hopefully we can cap off on some little, small things we’ve been working on and see them making big differences once we get to trials,” said Phelps.

Phelps admitted he tuned out from swimming for a couple of years following his record haul in the Chinese capital. As he drifted away from the pool, his fellowAmerican Ryan Lochte established himself as the dominant swimmer in the world.

“I put myself in that spot, put myself in the spot of not swimming the times that I want,” Phelps said.

“He (Lochte) was rolling over me. It wasn’t fun to be on that end.

“Last year I kind of woke up, it got to me somehow. I was like, ‘this is so frustrating, super-frustrated me.’ I’m doing everything I can to try and fight back and hopefully I didn’t fall too far behind.” Bowman said it was natural for people to focus on the rivalry but Phelps was not motivated by it. “Whenever you have two athletes of that caliber it creates interest when they’re racing each other,” Bowman said.

“But I don’t know that the rivalry does anything for Michael, because Michael’s main competition is himself. We try to set our goals high enough that if he hits his time, he wins.”— Reuters

CHARLOTTE: Winner Ricky Berens (right) is congratulated by second-place finisher Michael Phelps as they accept their medals for the 200-meter freestyle at the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix in this file photo. — AP

Claire Squires

Fabrice Muamba

Athletes’ sudden deaths expose big knowledge gaps LONDON: When London marathon medical director Sanjay Sharma was called to attend someone who had collapsed with suspected cardiac arrest a mile from the finish line last month, he expected to find a man in his seventies.

“I had to hide my horror as I saw a young, athletic woman,” he says. “I had to... compose myself for a few seconds before we started resuscitation.”

Lying on the ground was 30-year-old Claire Squires, whose sudden death, along with those of Italian footballer Piermario Morosini and Norwegian Olympic swimmer Alexander Dale Oen, has drawn fresh attention to shocking heart problems that bring down young, fit people at the top of their game.

The case of English Premier League footballer Fabrice Muamba, who collapsed on the pitch in front of a stadium packed with spectators last month, has similarly focused minds.

Sharma, who was speaking at a sports science conference in London ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games when an estimated 10,000 athletes will be pushing themselves to the limit in the British capital, urged health professionals to be vigilant.

“Something should be done, if we are... encouraging athletes to push themselves like that,” he said. “We protect their musculoskeletal system, we protect their brains, we protect their nutritional status, so why can’t we protect their hearts?”

In sudden cardiac death (SCD), the heart abruptly and unexpectedly stops working. Experts describe it as an “electrical problem”, often caused by a heart rhythm disorder called ventricular fibrillation.

In sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which was what brought Bolton Wanderers midfielder Muamba to the ground, the heart is no longer able to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Fortunately, Muamba recovered but, says University College London sports scientist Richard

Weiler, cases like his are likely to continue to crop up despite some screening programmes and the main problem is they are still poorly understood.

“Each young athletic life lost to SCD or blighted by a sudden cardiac arrest is a powerful reminder that despite our growing knowledge, we still lack many answers to basic questions about these afflictions,” Weiler and a team of other sports science experts wrote in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) on Saturday.

One of the most obvious knowledge gaps is in the numbers. Experts say SCD is rare, affecting just a handful of people out of every 100,000, but it also appears to be more common in athletes than in the general population.

Yet these data come with their own health warning - most of them are collected from media reports of high profile sporting deaths. There are no proper registries to collect numbers either within a specific sport or country, or cross-border and cross-discipline.

For the best clues, experts point to one of the largest studies on SCD conducted in the United States between 2004 and 2008 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It found that SCD is over three times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians, but this varied greatly across sports.

In American Football, SCD rates are four times higher in Caucasians than African-Americans, and in soccer there were no cardiac events recorded during the five-year period.

Having searched this and other scientific literature on sudden deaths in sport, experts writing in the BJSM - including sports scientists from the English Football Association, the London-based Royal Ballet and world soccer governing body FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Center in Switzerland - say there are far too many questions unanswered.

“There’s so much we don’t know,” Weiler said in a

telephone interview. “We don’t know what triggers sudden cardiac death. We don’t understand the risks in different sports, we don’t understand whether race and genetics have an impact, and we don’t know why many cases of sudden cardiac death remain unexplained.”

Though these deaths are sudden and unexpected, Sharma, who is also a consultant cardiologist at St George’s Hospital in London, says most heart specialists have tools to diagnose the conditions that cause them, pinpointing those most at risk.

They are usually caused by hereditary electrical or structural faults of the heart that show up in heart scans or in family history, he says. This leads some sports scientists to say more widespread screening may be the answer. FIFA recommends cardiac screening and sets it as a requirement for players in teams taking part in its tournaments, but there are no set rules across sports or borders.

Sharma cites data from the Veneto region of Italy, which suggest a programme that screens athletes every year and bans people with worrying conditions from taking part in competitive sport has cut the number of sudden cardiac deaths in athletes by 90 percent - from 3.6 per 100,000 person-years in 1979/1980 to 0.4 per 100,000 person-years in 2003/2004.

But the Italian programme disqualified 2 percent of all athletes, leading critics to say that for every one death prevented, around 1,000 athletes are needlessly banned from competing in a sport they love.

Screening is also expensive, raising the question of whether it is cost-effective for such a rare problem.

“You tend to get lots of false positives, and that means you can create unnecessary anxiety and worry about the results,” Weiler said. “And there are also people who slip through the net. We don’t really understand what we’re looking for yet.”— Reuters

China stands up against West domination BEIJING: When Chinese athletes swept to the top of the gold medal table during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the feat was accompanied by a wave of national pride, the culmination of China’s “100 year dream” to host the world’s most prestigious sports event. Whether China can repeat that feat at this year’s London Games will surely be watched closely by all.

But cooler heads may prevail at home if that success is not repeated as China has been buoyed by the country’s other achievements since hosting the Games, such as its bounding economy.

“I’m not sure it is now as politically important as it was, since they did it once,” said Susan Brownell, professor of anthropology and expert on Chinese sports at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The simmering debate over the importance of the pursuit of medals began to heat up after the Beijing Games ended in success. There appeared to be acknowledgement the country lacks a broad-based sports culture and Olympic medals are generally won by a minority of government-supported athletes, raising questions over whether it can become a

sports power, she said. “So I do have the feeling that with the great success of the Beijing Olympics, at least domestically it was hugely successful, that it’s not so important to prove themselves anymore,” she added.

“But why was it so important all along? It had to do with the idea of China standing up against domination by the West ... hosting the Olympics was called China’s 100-year dream.” This is, of course, not to say that China will not be trying to win as many gold as it can in London. China has not slackened off in its Olympics medals quest. Nor has the state even begun to back off from its involvement in producing national winners.

At the state-run Shichahai sports school, located in central Beijing not far from the top leadership compound at Zhongnanhai, the government begins training young athletes from as young as 6. Dubbed “the cradle of world champions” in a gold-embossed stone plinth outside one of its entrances, the school has raised 39 world champions and seven Olympic ones. Large Chinese flags dominate the austere gyms and other training rooms.

Slogans reminiscent of the heyday of

Chinese communism pasted around the campus exhort athletes not to forget that “All training is for competition” and “There are no heroic individuals, only heroic groups”.

It is a spirit the school’s head, Shi Fenghua, has no intention of abandoning. “Competing peacefully like this as the Chinese nation is rising, confirms our abilities. China was once the sick man of Asia,” Shi told Reuters in her office.

But Chinese sports officials are keen to temper expectations.

“I have complete confidence in our team at the London Olympics, but there are many, many difficulties,” said Cui Dalin, former deputy head of the State Administration of Sport, which answers directly to China’s cabinet. “Firstly, we were the host nation during the Beijing Olympics, doing battle on home turf, while in London we will be the guests.

There’s the time difference, the different food and a different environment from Beijing,” he told Reuters. There also will be many new and somewhat untested faces competing in London, Cui said, citing table tennis champions Wang Nan and Zhang Yining among those who have now retired.—Reuters

VIVA official sponsor of Real Madrid football team KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, announced its official sponsorship of Real Madrid Football Club. Real Madrid won several championships, including: 9 Champions League trophies, 3 Intercontinental Cups, and 32 La Liga titles, the club is one of the most successful football clubs and was named as the Best Club of the 20th Century by FIFA. Most recently, Real Madrid were named Champions of the Spanish league with a 4-1

win over Mallorca on Sunday to give the champions a record breaking 100 points this season.

Announcing the sponsorship, Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Badran, VIVA’s Chief Executive Officer said: “VIVA is honored to be the official sponsors of the Real Madrid Football Club.

The sponsorship demonstrates our commitment towards youth and all football fans by supporting their passion for sports and being the first in Kuwait to sponsor this world renowned football club. Since the launch of the company ’s operations in

Kuwait, VIVA has supported sports in many forms including its sponsorship of the Kuwaiti National Football Club. VIVA will continue to bring all that is new and significant to its customers.” VIVA will reveal to its customers many more exciting developments about its sponsorship of the Real Madrid Football Club delivering a new level of customer satisfaction. VIVA will continue to work tirelessly to provide its customers with the latest in telecommunication technologies, services and products.

SANTA ROSA: Peter Sagan (center) of Slovakia, celebrates at the finish line as he wins Stage 1 of the Tour of California cycling race. — AP

Sagan wins Tour of California stage SANTA ROSA: Peter Sagan overcame a flat tyre in the final 10 kilometres (seven miles) to win the opening stage of the Tour of California in a sprint finish on Sunday.

The Slovakian, one of the most promising riders in professional cycling, further enhanced his growing reputation when he won the 186 kilometre (116 mile) stage, that started and finished in Santa Rosa. The 22-year-old got back in the saddle after changing his rear wheels and timed his run to perfection to win the stage by about two bike lengths, in a time of four hours, 42 minutes 36 seconds. “”It was a really confusing sprint because it was a small field,” said Sagan, a former junior world mountain cyclist who turned to road cycling in 2008. “”With 10 kilometres to go I flatted, but I knew there was time to get back in. “Thanks to the work of my teammates I didn’t panic, and we were able to get back on easily.”

Australian Heinrich Haussler finished second in the opening stage while American Fred Rodriguez crossed the line third, both in the same time as Sagan.

Sagan lost around 25 seconds to the field while mechanics changed his rear wheel but two of Sagan’s teammates towed

him back to the main field in quick order. It was Sagan’s fourth stage win at the Tour of California, the most prestigious c ycling event in the United States, and the 27th overall of his professional career, but he did not expect to win the eight-day Tour. “”It is going to be very hard to hold onto the yellow jersey,” said Sagan. “”I’m okay on the smaller climbs, but it’s only going to get harder and harder as the week goes on.” Tom Boonen of Belgium, the world’s number one ranked road cyclist, suffered a puncture just before the spring to the line and was unable to make an impact.

As the pace increased before the sprint to the line, several riders crashed near the front of the peloton. Last year’s winner, American Chris Horner, survived unscathed and finished in the middle of the pack.

The opening stage came to life early. Eight riders broke from the field of 128 just after the neutralized start.

Almost halfway through the stage, they led by more than 11 minutes, but were swallowed up by the chasing pack after four and a half hours of hard pedalling. The Tour continues late yesterday with a 189km (117 miles) stage from San Francisco to Aptos. — Reuters

18

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

S P ORT S

Mancini’s steady hand key for City in title race LONDON: There has been an inevitability about Manchester City’s journey to the Premier League title since Abu Dhabi petro-dollars began flooding into the club in 2008 but they still required a steady hand at the tiller to navigate them to glory through one of the most unpredictable seasons for decades.

Roberto Mancini was appointed in December 2009 as the man to make realise the dream, knocking cross-town rivals Manchester United off their perch, and the former Inter Milan coach proved himself equal to whatever the job threw his way.

Since taking over from the sacked Mark Hughes, Italian Mancini has endured the initial disappointment of failing to qualify for the Champions League in 2010, suffered criticism over his style of football and even quelled mutiny within the ranks.

Importantly, however, even when making a disappointing group stage exit on their Champions League debut this season, there has been no sense of panic at the top.

More than 400 million pounds

($643.88 million) has been spent on players since Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought City as, first under Hughes, they began assembling a squad that is the envy of almost every club in world football.

There is a price to pay, though, for the man in charge of such a shopping list and caressing the egos of enormously well-paid footballers week in and week out has often proved the undoing of many high-calibre managers in the Premier League.

Initially, City’s detractors said they were a bunch of individuals, lacking the required team bond that has been the hallmark of United and Chelsea in the past decade.

When Carlos Tevez refused to warmup as a substitute in a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich last September, an act which sparked a high-profile stand-off between striker and manager, the alarm bells were ringing again.

Mario Balotelli’s volatile behaviour on and off the field, including an incident in which his apartment caught light

after fireworks were set off inside, also tested Mancini’s resolve, as did a postChristmas dip in away form that let United back in the hunt.

Mancini never took his eye off the ball, however, and his biggest success has been instilling a togetherness and harmony while also managing the expectations of the fans, many of whom still appear giddy at their club’s recent rise from the shadows rather than arrogantly expecting silverware.

Despite setting a hot pace for the first half of the season, when they thrashed United 6-1 at Old Trafford, City’s age old ability to shoot themselves in the foot appeared to have returned and they trailed United by eight points with six matches to go after a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on April 8.

Ironically it was that loss that galvanised the squad and at the same time released the pressure that had been building. Since then City have been ruthless.

As United wobbled badly, City’s fivematch winning streak, including a 1-0 home victory over their title rivals, put

them on the brink of winning the championship.

On Sunday they claimed their first English title in 44 years in barely believable circumstances as stoppage time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero snatched a 3-2 home victory over Queens Park Rangers. Throughout a wildly fluctuating Premier League season, among the most exciting in its 20year existence, one of the constants has been City’s reliability.

Like any self-respecting Italian manager Mancini spent the early part of his tenure making his team hard to beat, impossibly so this at the Etihad Stadium where they won 18 and drew one of their 19 league matches.

That stability was based on the rocklike defending of skipper Vincent Kompany and the emergence of Joleon Lescott as his number one central defensive partner.

With goalkeeper Jo Hart rubberstamping his England No.1 status, and Yaya Toure a formidable presence in the midfield engine room, City have been able to unleash their attacking threat to

the maximum, much of it instigated by the brilliance of Spanish playmaker David Silva.

Up front, Aguero has proved a class act, netting 23 league goals while in support Balotelli, despite his erratic behaviour, and Dzeko also reached double figures, scoring some vital goals.

While some may scoff at Mancini’s achievement in finally bringing City out of the shadow of their illustrious neighbors, pointing to the vast wealth at his disposal, he has repaid the faith of the owners to the full.

United manager Alex Ferguson, whose mind games have failed to rattle Mancini in the title run in, once said the first of his 12 titles with United was the hardest to win.

Since that breakthrough he has produced a succession of sides all blessed with an inner belief that generally allows them to prevail when the going gets tough. That is exactly what City did this season and now they have reached the top they may take some shifting.—Reuters

Neymar double guides Santos to Paulista title RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil striker Neymar scored a brace of goals to steer Santos to a 4-2 win over Guarani as they clinched the Paulista championship title on Sunday.

The 20-year-old converted a

penalty for Santos’s second goal and sidefooted the third from the edge of the penalty area as South American champions Santos won the two-leg final 7-2 on aggregate.

Neymar, who finished with 20 goals in the competition, was also

involved in the first and fourth goals scored by Alan Kardec as Pele’s former club won the title for the third year running in a match marred by crowd violence.

Television pictures showed Guarani fans fighting with trun-

BRAZIL: Fluminense players celebrate after defeating Botafogo at the end of the Rio de Janeiro state championship final soccer match in Rio de Janeiro. —AP

Boca settles for 0-0 draw BUENOS AIRES: A 10-man Boca Juniors settled for a lackluster 0-0 draw against Velez Sarsfield on Sunday, a result that handed first place to Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina’s first division.

Newell’s defeated Union 3-1 on Saturday to improve to 28 points in 14 matches. Boca trails by two and Tigre and Arsenal are three back in the Clausura standings - the second half of Argentina’s split season. Boca went down to 10 men in the 42nd minute when Facundo Roncaglia was shown a red card for a sliding, studs-up tackle.

Boca and Velez were surely looking ahead to key Copa Libertadores first-leg quarterfinals on Thursday against tough Brazilian clubs. Boca is home against Fluminense and Velez - also a Buenos Aires club - hosts defending champions Santos. The second legs are next week.

Boca won the first-half of the Argentine title, called the Apertura, and is under pressure to take the Copa Libertadores, which it has won six times but not since 2007.

Both clubs were poor in the first half at Boca’s Bombonera stadium. Boca’s Paulo Mouche probably had the best chance in the match, but headed a

close-in shot wide in the 52nd. Minutes earlier Juan Roman Riquelme faced a clear shot but fired over the crossbar.

Riquelme also tested Velez keeper Marcelo Barovero in the 75th with a long, skidding shot.

In other matches on Sunday, Lanus defeated Banfield 2-1, Colon and Tigre drew 1-1 and Argentinos Juniors won over Racing 2-1.

In Lanus’ victory, Diego Braghieri and Mariano Pavone scored in the first 15 minutes. Facundo Ferreyra scored in the 79th for Banfield.

Sebastian Prediger scored in the 2nd minute to get Colon off to a quick start, but Tigre’s Carlos Luna equalized in the 14th.

Juan Morales scored the winner in the 89th for Argentinos Juniors. Juan Ramirez put Argentinos ahead 1-0 in the 9th and Valentin Viola leveled in the 14th. On Saturday, Newell’s defeated Union 3-1 with goals from Victor Figueroa, Santiago Vergini and Maxi Urruti.

In other results in the 14th round: San Martin 1, Arsenal 4; Estudiantes 1, Godoy Cruz 0; Independiente 0, All Boys 3; Belgrano 1, Rafaela 1.—AP

BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors’ Juan Roman Riquelme controls the ball during an Argentina’s league soccer match against Velez Sarsfield. —AP

cheon-wielding police on the terraces during the first half, although media repor ts said nobody was injured.

The Paulista, played in the state of Sao Paulo, is the most prestigious of the plethora of state championships which kick off the Brazilian season.

Critics say the tournaments, which pre-date the growth of air travel in Brazil, are now out-dated and clutter up the calendar.

The Brazilian championship, which features 20 teams playing each other twice, has to be squeezed into little more than six months to accommodate them.

Rio de Janeiro’s Engenhao stadium was only around half full as Fluminense clinched the Carioca tournament with a 1-0 win over Botafogo, completing a 5-1 aggregate win.

Atletico Mineiro won the Minas Gerais state championship, beating America 3-0 to complete a 4-1 aggregate win.

Guilherme broke the deadlock before Bernard scored either side of halftime for the Roosters.

Former South American champions Internacional came from behind to beat Caxias 2-1 and win the Gaucho championship final 3-2 on aggregate. —Reuters

Disbelief as Villarreal go from Europe to relegation MADRID: Villarreal, often touted as a model for smaller clubs to aspire to, were left preparing for life in the second division yesterday after they were relegated following a dramatic finale to the La Liga season. The team known as ‘Yellow Submarine’ because of their canary coloured strip, started the campaign in the Champions League after finishing fourth last year, but went in to Sunday’s decider in 16th place and one point above the drop zone.

They looked to be safe from the drop as they held Europa League winners Atletico Madrid at bay with minutes left before disaster struck.

Atletico netted the only goal of the game in the 88th minute at a stunned Madrigal, and then, still only needing a draw to survive, Villarreal heard that Rayo Vallecano had scored in time added on to beat Granada 1-0 and send them down.

“I can’t believe it,” Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza told Spanish television. “I can’t believe there can be so much heartache in only five minutes.”

Behind him on the pitch, wealthy Ceramics tycoon and club president Fernando Roig was in tears. “There is the president getting an ovation from the fans. I can’t believe it.

There is nothing left for us to do but to carry on working.”

Villarreal had turned themselves into top-flight regulars over the last 12 years, and after reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2006, where they lost out to Arsenal, became accustomed to competing on the European stage.

The club from just north of Valencia combined an attractive brand of attacking football with a productive youth and scouting system, and successfully survived the exits of players such as Diego Forlan and Juan Roman Riquelme.

This year, however, the formula fell apart. The sale of Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla to Malaga for a lucrative 20 million euros raised eyebrows and his replacements, such as Canadian Jonathan De Guzman, failed to live up to expectations.

Leading scorer, Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi, tore knee ligaments in October and just when he was about to return suffered a relapse last month which will keep him sidelined well in to next season.

Villarreal lost all six group games to crash out of the Champions League and miss out on the Europa League, and after a humbling King’s Cup exit to third-tier Mirandes, coach Juan Carlos Garrido was sacked in December.

His replacement Jose Molina only lasted until March when the experienced Miguel Angel Lotina took the helm.

Unaccustomed to the relegation scrap, and with the dour defensively-minded Lotina in charge, Villarreal opted for caution in the decider against Atletico and were undone at a corner in the dying minutes. —Reuters

TORREON: Santos’ Felipe Baloy (center) fights to head the ball against Tigres’ J Torres (left) and another unidentified Tigres player during a Mexican national soccer league semi-final match. —AP

Laguna to face Monterrey in final MEXICO CITY: Santos Laguna drew 2-2 with Tigres on Sunday to book a spot against Monterrey for Mexico’s first-division championship.

Oribe Peralta scored two late goals to rally Santos to the draw with Tigres. The teams drew 3-3 on aggregate over two legs, but Santos advances to the final because of a better record in the Clausura season - the second half of Mexico’s split season. Monterrey defeated America 2-0 on Saturday to advance 2-0 on aggregate from its semifinal. The first leg is expected to be on Thursday with the second on Sunday, although the Mexican federation has not made it official. The first leg will be played in Monterrey with Santos Laguna hosting the return leg.

The final will be contested over two legs and offers Santos a chance for revenge after its 3-2 loss to Monterrey last month in a two-game CONCACAF Champions League final.

Peralta scored in the 86th and 89th minutes after Chilean Hertor Mancilla

gave Tigres a 1-0 lead with an early header and made it 2-0 in the 26th.

This will be Santos’ fourth final in the last five seasons. It has lost the previous three. Although there is no clear favorite in the final, Monterrey coach Victor Manuel Vucetich has made it to 12 finals in his managerial career and has won every one, including five Mexican firstdivision titles.

On Saturday, Jose Maria Basanta opened the scoring for Monterrey in the 9th minute, with Aldo de Nigris adding the second in the 53rd in the victory over America. The field was wet from heavy rain before the kickoff and players found it difficult to control the ball.

The teams drew 0-0 in the first leg at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday. The two finalists are rivals from the northern cities of Monterrey and Torreon, which are located just 350 kilometers (220 miles) apart. Both are attacking teams and scored the largest number of goals in the regular season. —AP

Montpellier move to brink of title PARIS: Karim Ait-Fana scored in stoppagetime to lift Montpellier to a dramatic 1-0 win over third-placed Lille on Sunday and keep them three points clear of Paris St Germain at the top of Ligue 1 with one game left.

Montpellier, who have never won the French title, are on 79 points with PSG on 76 after they thrashed Stade Rennes 3-0 home thanks to a hat-trick by Nene.

“We believed in it until the end. What the lads did was fabulous,” Montpellier coach Rene Girard told French TV Canal+.

Montpellier travel to basement side Auxerre, who are relegated, next weekend and PSG play at Lorient. “Nothing has been achieved. We have a game left at Auxerre and it would be a disgrace to lose there,” Ait Fana told reporters.

Both clubs secured Champions League places and Lille, who surrendered their title at the Mosson stadium and are on 71 points, will feature in the qualifying round.

“It’s beautiful,” a tearful keeper Geoffrey Jourdren said. Girondins Bordeaux climbed into the Europa League qualifying spot as Yoan Gouffran scored from the penalty spot in stoppage-time to help his side beat Lorient 1-0.

Auxerre, who have been in the top flight since 1980, were relegated to Ligue 2 after they lost 3-0 at Marseille. France and Marseille striker Loic Remy left the pitch because of an adductor muscle injury which could rule him out of the European Championship.

In Montpellier, the hosts were about to

settle for a draw when Ligue 1 top scorer Olivier Giroud ran through from the middle of the pitch to set up Ait-Fana who poked the ball into an empty net.

The unheralded leaders, who were supported by an unusually packed crowd, had their chances to take the lead earlier, but midfielder Jamel Saihi failed to score in the 23rd minute after Giroud had superbly set him up.

In a tense first half, both teams were too cautious to threaten the opposition keepers, while Eden Hazard, who was carrying Lille’s faint hopes of retaining their title, produced a poor performance.

The Belgian woke up after the interval but he was denied the opener when Jourdren tipped away his curling free kick.

His counterpart Mickael Landreau also pulled off a pair of beautiful saves before substitute Ait-Fana gave his side their 16th home victory of the season.

At the Parc des Princes, PSG also struggled before the break, but Nene and Jeremy Menez inspired them to an easy win early in the second half.

“It will obviously will be more difficult to win the title,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

“But tonight we achieved an important goal, which was to be in next season’s Champions League. I’m very happy to have chosen PSG and I hope we will be better in the future.

Nene scored the opener from close range in the 47th minute after Jeremy Menez ran through the right side to set him up. —Reuters

19

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

SPORTS

City kick off revolution with a bang LONDON: Manchester City’s players are champions of England - yes, that is a phrase we’re all going to have to get accustomed to because they believed in themselves like those at Manchester United used to. Like the great teams that Alex Ferguson has produced in his quarter-century at United, City’s players refused to accept that hope was lost, that they couldn’t make the seemingly impossible possible. Not only did they take a page out of Ferguson’s never-say-die play-book to win the Premier League title on Sunday, they rubbed salt in the wound by trumping one of the Scot’s greatest triumphs, too.

“Football, bloody hell,” Ferguson famously exclaimed after United conjured two goals out of nowhere in injury time to crush Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.

It was a moment that, for the people of Manchester, especially in those households that support the Reds, seemed like it could never be topped - one of football’s most spellbinding dramas.

Well, this was even more astounding. Two goals in two minutes that marked the beginning of a new era in Manchester, making this more significant than 1999, too. As shellshocked City manager Roberto Mancini said in a phrase that, like Ferguson’s 1999 quote, now deserves to be on a T-shirt: “The football is incredible.”

The more than $1 billion that the Abu Dhabi owners of City have spent to finance this revolution - more of a hostile takeover, really - in the best and most engrossing league in world football was vital, of course.

Putting a stop, perhaps a full stop, to Ferguson’s winning ways at United couldn’t have been accomplished, at least not by City, any other way.

But, in the 2 minutes and 6 seconds that really counted Sunday, it was the courage and

the belief of City’s players and not the size of their paychecks that made the difference.

Sure, the money helped to lure the likes of midfielder Yaya Toure and striker Sergio Aguero from sunny Barcelona and Madrid and it will help to keep them and others in the less

that they’d trip over their egos before winning a title.

“It’s not us just coming here for money and all these stories that we’ve heard,” said City captain Vincent Kompany. “We’ve dreamed of this all our lives, when we was kids and we had

cially, played this season and again Sunday as though the blood in his veins has always run pure City blue. And he is not the only one.

With 91 minutes and 13 seconds played, City fans’ hearts were breaking. They screamed, turned the air blue and stamped in

LONDON: Manchester City players including their goalkeeper Joe Hart (centre with scarf) celebrate during a bus parade the day after their team won the English Premier League. —AP hospitable north of England. And, yes, perhaps that does make them mercenaries - like so many others in football these days.

But they confounded the critics who opined that such an overpaid bunch of stars was unlikely to jell into an effective team and

nothing, no money, nothing.”

Although that last part has to be taken with a pinch of salt - it’s hard to believe that Kompany longed to play for what was then poor and sorry City when he was growing up in Belgium - you get his point. Kompany, espe-

frustration. The last game of the season and City appeared to be throwing away the title.

Horrible defending had allowed Queens Park Rangers to build a 2-1 lead. And to complete the nightmare scenario, United had beaten Sunderland 1-0 in its final game and looked to

have one hand, perhaps both, on the trophy.

Then came the two minutes that no City fan, and no neutral who saw it, will forget. Two minutes that must have seemed even longer to the fans than the 44 years they waited since City’s last championship. Two minutes that mean we’ll no longer be able to shake our heads and snigger that City - “typical City,” as its fans ruefully learned over the years to call the club - is the laughingstock of English football, forever destined to live in United’s long shadow. Like many revolutions, this one started with a bang - when Edin Dzeko headed in David Silva’s corner for the equalizer, with the clock reading 91:14.

Still, it wasn’t enough. City needed the winner. Time was running out. Then, on 93:20, Aguero coolly delivered it with a shot that sent City’s Etihad Stadium into raptures.

Football, incredible. Anyone who hadn’t chewed off their nails can’t have been watching. “You want to say it’s the best moment of your life,” said Kompany. “But if I’m honest, please, never again this way.” The sting for United will be made worse by the fact that it threw away the title with losses to Wigan and City and a draw with Everton in April.

Not only was that late stumble uncharacteristic of United under Ferguson, it could cause lasting damage. Because now the City juggernaut is rolling, it may be ever harder to stop next season.

As one fan’s banner read: “Oi! Fergie, we’re ‘avin a party!” Not only does City have seemingly endless funds - expect Mancini to strengthen his squad even further this summer - but his players’ confidence and selfbelief should only grow with this title and the way it was won.

“It was really important to start winning this championship,” Mancini said. “Manchester City can have a big future now.”—AP

Kuchar holds steady to clinch Players title

SPAIN: Switzerland’s Roger Federer tries to return a ball to Janko Tipsarevic from Serbia during a Madrid Open tennis tournament semifinal match in this file photo, —AP

In-form Federer eyeing return to tennis summit MADRID: After capturing the Madrid Open title and knowing he will climb back above Rafa Nadal to number two in the world, Roger Federer has set his sights on reclaiming the top ranking.

The resurgent 30-year-old Swiss came from a set down to beat Tomas Berdych in the Madrid final on Sunday, a fourth title of the year and a third in the Spanish capital that put him level on 20 Masters crowns with great rival Nadal.

Success in one of the upcoming grand slams could catapult him above Novak Djokovic to number one, a position he last held in May 2010, and he would then equal, and almost certainly break, his idol Pete Sampras’s record of 286 weeks at the top.

A buoyant Federer told a news conference that would be “absolutely amazing”. “Back then I was just trying to stay world number one and I never really looked at Pete’s record that much,” he said. “I guess I could have chased it a few years ago, just really trying to beat that record,” added the 16-times grand slam singles champion. “It’s no secret for any player out there that you’d rather be number one than number two. “But I look at the long term, maybe if I wasn’t good enough to break that record then maybe I never will be.”

Before Madrid, Federer had not played for six weeks since losing to Andy Roddick in

Miami, deciding he needed some time away from tennis to recharge his batteries and rid himself of one or two niggling injuries.

He has played some of his best tennis in years in winning his four titles this year, including the Indian Wells Masters, and will bid for a second French Open crown in Paris starting later this month after his triumph in 2009, which was also the year he last won in Madrid. “I don’t need to beat every record Pete set, he’s my idol after all and I’m just happy I’m that close already,” Federer said.

“But it’s exciting times ahead for me.

Winning so many tournaments and playing so well obviously I do believe I can win the grand slams.

“But I know the difficulty of the French Open and the focus will be a lot on Novak because he’s going for four in a row and on Rafa because he’s the defending champion.

It’s going to be an exciting tournament.”

Federer said equalling Nadal’s record of Masters titles was not such a big deal for him given that the series has only been running for a relatively short time. “That one for me is just a number at the moment,” he said. “It’s amazing how many Rafa has got in such a short time and it’s nice to win another one,” he said. “I have won three of the last four now and it’s been a great streak and that’s what I look at.”—Reuters

Maldonado’s triumph unites Venezuela CARACAS: Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado’s remarkable first Formula One victory brought a rare moment of national unity to a homeland bitterly divided months before a presidential vote. The 27-year-old driver has been closely associated with President Hugo Chavez’s socialist government due to numerous friendly appearances alongside the Venezuelan leader and the sponsorship of state oil company PDVSA. Yet his thrilling Spanish Grand Prix win on Sunday - the first for a Venezuelan - elevated him beyond a symbol of Chavez’s socialism into a cherished national hero.

“Our shepherd,” was the headline in the normally anti-Chavez El Universal newspaper, playing on the Spanish-language meaning of his first name “Pastor”. “He has united the nation with his triumph in Spain.” Scores of Venezuelans tooted horns and unfurled banners around Caracas saying “Maldonado, pride of Venezuela!”

In repose after latest cancer treatment, Chavez tweeted his jubilation. “I said so: Our Pastor Maldonado won, making history.

Bravo Pastor! Congratulations to you and all your fighting team! We shall overcome!”

Not to be outdone, his opponent in the upcoming Oct. 7 presidential election, Henrique Capriles, also sent his congratulations via Twitter. “Fantastic Maldonado!

Congratulations for Pastor, for Aragua (his state) and for all our Venezuela with this triumph in Formula One. Long live Venezuela!”

During Chavez’s 13-year rule, the South American nation has become deeply polarised, with supporters seeing him as a messiah overcoming decades of injustice and foes casting the president as a dangerous dictator. The national jubilation over Maldonado’s echoed last year’s feel-good over Venezuela’s soccer team, which was the laughing stock of the region for years before finally starting to perform decently in recent tournaments.

As with their support for Maldonado, both Chavez and Capriles tout their love of the soccer team for barely-disguised electoral purposes.

State oil company PDVSA, which has controversially ousted a local private company to take over sponsorship of the national soccer team, has been backing Maldonado since his debut season last year.—Reuters

PONTE VEDRA BEACH: American Matt Kuchar won the Players Championship on Sunday by two shots to secure the biggest win of his career and a $1.71 million pay check.

To the delight of his watching family, Kuchar shot a final round two-under 70 to finish 13-under for the tournament, two clear of Briton Martin Laird (67) and Americans Zach Johnson (68), Rickie Fowler (70) and Ben Curtis (68).

Overnight leader Kevin Na had a disappointing finish, making six bogeys in a 76 that saw him slip back into a tie for seventh, a day after being heckled by spectators for his slow play and constant practice shots.

Tiger Woods ended well down the field at joint 40th after shooting a 73 to finish oneunder. England’s Luke Donald finished strongly with a 66 that elevated him to sixth, four strokes behind Kuchar, but not enough for him to regain top place in the world rankings from Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut.

Kuchar, who tied for third at the Masters, consistently avoided trouble on the final day on a course that severely punishes inaccuracy.

While his challengers stumbled at various hurdles, the American kept out of water and greenside sand throughout a confident 18 holes.

“You think of this as one of the strongest fields in golf and to come out as champion is an amazing feeling,” the 33-year-old told reporters.

Kuchar, who found 10 of 14 fairways and struck 15 greens in regulation, wrapped up the tournament when he coolly sunk a 15-

foot birdie putt on the 16th to surge three strokes clear.

Although bogeying the ‘island green’ 17th, the fixed grin never left his face as he went to the final tee with a two-shot cushion.

Fowler’s second place finish was the fifth of his career and followed his maiden PGA Tour win at Quail Hollow last week.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH: Matt Kuchar kisses the trophy after winning the Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass. —AP The 23-year-old made a late charge with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes but missed a nine-foot birdie putt on the 18th

that would have put more pressure on Kuchar.

Kuchar safely parred the last to claim his first PGA title win since the 2010 Barclays at the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey.

“I saw Rickie’s putt on 17 and I knew it got him to within two shots and he could birdie 18 to reduce it to one. That could have changed the whole scenerio of how I would play the last hole,” he said.

“So I was really excited to drop that birdie on 16. That was big,” he added. For Fowler, despite falling short, it was another reminder of his emergence in the game.

“It was a lot of fun to be in contention and I tried to give it a run at the end. Kuch played very well, very solid and I just fell a couple of shots short,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot of confidence in my game which has given me the calm you need coming down the stretch when the nerves are supposed to be on.”

Scotsman Laird, who started the day six back, made an early challenge with six birdies through 13 holes, including a trio on 11, 12 and 13, but his push faded with bogeys at 14 and 18.

“I found my confidence this week for some reason. This is my best finish in a big, big marquee event,” said the United Statesbased Glaswegian.

For the third tournament in a row, Woods failed to mount a challenge. He also finished tied for 40th at the Masters before missing the cut at Quail Hollow.

“I’ve just got to keep working, keep working. I felt that I did it well in spurts again,” Woods said. “I just need to be a little bit more consistent.”—Reuters

Rayudu, Pollard shine in Mumbai win in IPL BANGALORE: West Indian Dwayne Bravo hit a last-ball six to guide Chennai Super Kings to a five-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders yesterday, while Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by the same margin in the Indian Premier League.

Ambati Rayudu hit an unbeaten 81 and Kieron Pollard remained undefeated on 52 as Mumbai made 173-5 with two balls to spare after Royal Challengers put up a competitive target of 171-6.

Bravo (11) lofted seamer Rajat Bhatia’s full toss over long on at Eden Gardens as Chennai Super Kings made 160-5 after Knight Riders had posted 158-6 off their 20 overs.

Both Rayudu and Pollard shared a match-winning 122 runs for the sixth wicket stand off 65 deliveries after Mumbai Indians lost star batsman Sachin Tendulkar for naught and struggling on 51-5.

Rayudu’s knock came off 54 balls and it featured six fours and four sixes. Pollard, who hit five fours and three sixes, raised his half century when he hit countryman Chris Gayle for a winning boundary in the last over.

Needing 14 to win, Pollard flicked off-spinner Gayle over

the midwicket fence for a six before hitting two successive boundaries.

Earlier, Mayank Agarwal hit six boundaries and four sixes in scoring an unbeaten 64 off only 30 balls to lift the Royals total, hitting seamer Munaf Patel for 24 runs in the last over of the innings.

Mumbai Indians now have 18 points from 14 matches. They share top spot with Delhi Daredevils, who are on the same points, but have a game in hand on Mumbai.

Royal Challengers are in fifth place in the nine-team league with 15 points after winning seven of its 14 matches. Super Kings’ opening pair of Michael Hussey (56) and Murali Vijay (36) put on 97 runs before off-spinner Sunil Narine put the brakes on and removed both batsmen in the space of three balls.

Super Kings needed five off Bhatia’s last ball of the match and Bravo smashed the full toss for six to take his team to fourth place with 17 points.

Earlier, Bhatia had featured in the three dismissals when he first had Suresh Raina run out and then had the wickets of Faf du Plessis (13) and also had Mahendra Singh Dhoni (28) clean bowled in the last over.

Knight Riders could not capi-

KOLKATA: Chennai Super Kings’ Michael Hussey plays a shot during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Kolkata Knight Riders. —AP talize on a fine start provided by their captain Gautam Gambhir (62) and Brendon McCullum (37), who shared a first wicket stand of 99 off 69 balls.

Knight Riders are also on 17 points but are third because of a better run-rate than Super Kings.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 173-5 in 19.4 overs (Ambati Rayudu 81 not out, Kieron Pollard 52 not out;

Muttiah Muralitharan 1-16) def.

Royal Challengers Bangalore 171-6 in 20 overs (Mayank Agarwal 64 not out, Tillakaratne Dilshan 47; Kieron Pollard 1-20, RP Singh 1-23).

Chennai Super Kings 160-5 in 20 overs (Michael Hussey 56, Murali Vjay 36; Sunil Narine 2-14, Rajat Bhatia 2-33) def. Kolkata Knight Riders 158-6 in 20 overs (Gautam Gambhir 62, Brendon McCullum 37, Shadab Jakati 226).—AP

Kuchar holds steady to clinch Players title

Neymar double guides Santos to Paulista title

19

18

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

Athletes’ sudden deaths expose big knowledge gaps

Page 17

ISTANBUL: Players of Olympiacos pose with their trophy after winning the Euroleague Final Four basketball final match against CSKA Moscow at the Sinan Erdem Arena.—AFP

Olympiakos defy odds to win Euroleague ISTANBUL: Olympiakos Piraeus won the Euroleague on Sunday in dramatic style after being written off even by many of their own fans as title candidates before this season’s premier club basketball competition.

Trailing strong favourites CSKA Moscow 53-34 midway through the third quarter in the final, Olympiakos dug deep and completed a stunning fightback after Gergios Printezis scored on the buzzer to give them a 62-61 win.

Having had their budget cut by the economic crisis in Greece, Olympiakos first defied the odds to reach the playoffs

and the arrived to the Final Four as the least heralded team to win the showpiece event in Istanbul.

Led by their Serbian coach Dusan Ivkovic, a trophy-laden tactical maestro in his second spell in charge of Olympiakos, the Greek outfit upset 2010 winners Barcelona in the semis before overpowering six-times winners CSKA. “I have to thank my players, the staff and our incredible fans who stuck with us through the thick and thin, this victory is a result of tremendous will-power and a monumental effort to achieve the impossible,” Ivkovic told a news conference.

Cutting an incredibly calm figure after the most dramatic of wins, the 68-year old coach added: “CSKA were the obvious favorites not just today but throughout the season and it was our iron-clad defence that turned the match.

“Of course it helped that I coach CSKA’s fellow Serbs Milos Teodosic and Nenad Krstic in the national team, the former got off to a great start and was their best player but we staged a hardly explicable fourth quarter fightback.”

After a cagey opening domianted by defensive play, CSKA romped to a 25-13 lead on the back of a treble of successive

three-pointers by Teodosic and looked in complete control until the final period.

A twist in fortune looked all the more unlikely because CSKA beat Olympiakos emphatically in both regular season meetings, having won one of them by a whopping 32-point margin in Moscow.

But their offence came to a screeching halt at crunch time while Vassilis Spanoulis, named the tournament’s most valuable player, started hitting jump-shots and dishing out assists to his team mates at the other end.

CSKA were still in the driving seat after former Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko

gave them a 59-52 lead in the closing stages but missed free throws and turnovers cost them dearly.

Forward Ramunas Siskauskas missed two foul shots with 10 seconds left and Spanoulis found the unmarked Printezis on the baseline to beat the buzzer and throw 5,000 ecstatic Olympiakos fans into raptures. “Spanoulis was our driving force throughout the Final Four but it was our team spirit and die-hard attitude that turned the match on its head,” the Greek outfit’s Macedonia centre Pero Antic told Reuters.

“We never stopped believing in our-

Ventoso triumphs in crash-marred sprint

Clippers advance with victory over Grizzlies MEMPHIS: Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with an 82-72 win Sunday over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7. The Clippers won only their third postseason series in 41 years and just their second since relocating to Los Angeles. They also avoided becoming the ninth NBA team to blow a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series. The Clippers move on to play the top-seeded Spurs starting Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Chris Paul scored 19 points despite playing with a strained right hip flexor. Nick Young added 13 off the bench as the Clippers finished off the series with their biggest margin of victory.

Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol each had 19 for Memphis.

Zach Randolph had a game-high 12 rebounds. A year ago, the Grizzlies lost a Game 7 at Oklahoma City in the second round of the playoffs.

The Clippers, who trailed 56-55 after three quarters, took control by opening the fourth with an 11-2 run started by a jumper by Martin. He tipped in a shot for a 66-58 lead with 8:41 left. Mo Williams matched the Clippers’ biggest lead to that point at 10 with a 3-pointer pushing it to 71-61 with 7:04 left in a 16-5 spurt to open the quarter. Los Angeles finished off the win by hitting 9 of 10 free throws in the final 3:26. The Clippers also managed to outrebound the Grizzlies 46-44.

The home-court advantage that didn’t help the Grizzlies when they blew a 27-point lead in Game 1 didn’t help again Sunday as they went cold from the floor.

Gasol’s one-handed dunk with 3:09 left was Memphis’ last field goal down the stretch as the Grizzlies hit only 4 of 18 in the fourth quarter and finished the game missing all 13 3-pointers.

This series has been physical and grinding from the opening tip, and neither team backed down in a winner-take-all game.

The Clippers and Grizzlies scrapped and fought for every ball with each possession feeling like a knockdown, drag-out fight. Memphis should have had an advantage against the hobbled Clippers tipping off when they usually eat breakfast on the West Coast.

Blake Griffin scored only eight points and looked tentative most of the game with a sprained left knee.

Heat 95, Pacers 86 In Miami, LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in his first game as a three-time MVP, Dwayne Wade finished with 29 despite struggling from the floor, and the Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 9586 to open their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Chris Bosh scored 13 points for Miami, but left late in the first half with a lower abdominal injury and did not return. The Heat outscored Indiana 25-16 in the fourth, with Wade and James combining for 22 of those points.

David West and Roy Hibbert each scored 17 points and combined for 23 rebounds for the Pacers, who got 10 points each from Darren Collison and George Hill.

Game 2 is today in Miami.

The Heat never led by more than two until 9:20 remained in the game, when a layup by James gave Miami a 76-72 edge. Wade added another basket about 30 seconds later, and the margin eventually reached eight when James made two free throws with 7:52 left.

Back came Indiana, which got within 86-85 on a 3pointer by Hill with 4:51 left after Miami went cold again. But one big flurry - capped by a dunk from James in transition and Wade coming from behind to block a shot by Paul George at the rim about a half-minute later - gave the Heat some breathing room.

Wade and James scored 20 straight Miami points in the fourth, a string ended by a free throw from Joel Anthony with 1:05 left. After Hibbert missed a jumper on the next Indiana possession, James connected with 31.8 seconds left for a 95-86 Miami lead, and it was soon over. Wade shot only 8 for 23 from the field, and the Heat missed all six of their attempts from 3-point range - a first in team playoff history. But the Heat held a 45-38 rebounding edge, and allowed Indiana to make only 11 of 31 shots after halftime.

Danny Granger shot 1 for 10 for Indiana, scoring only seven points. Commissioner David Stern was on hand to present James with his MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony.—AP

selves even when we were 19 points down, we knew we could get back into the game if we carried on playing strong defence and we got our reward.”

For Ivkovic, it was a gratifying finale as he won the second Euroleague title with Olympiakos after guiding them to their first success in Europe’s elite competition in 1997. “Now we will party, have a few days’ rest and prepare for the Greek league’s final series against Panathinaikos, it will be like another Final Four,” said Antic.

“With a bit of luck, we will repeat the trick and give Ivkovic the same kind of joy he tasted 15 years ago.”—Reuters

MEMPHIS: Los Angeles Clippers forward Caron Butler (5) drives against Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33), of Spain, in the first half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series. —AP

FROSINONE: Spain’s Francisco Ventoso claimed victory in the ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia in a sprint finish yesterday, with Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal holding onto the leader’s pink jersey.

British world champion Mark Cavendish was unable to take part in the sprint after being involved in a crash on the last bend.

With 400 metres remaining, Italy’s Filippo Pozzato collided with the Australian ace Matt Goss, bringing both men down and forcing Cavendish to take evasive action but without apparently injuring himself.

Pozzato, the leader of the Farnese Vini team, apologised for causing the crash. “It was my fault,” Pozzato told Italian television channel RAI. “I was scared when Goss turned into the last bend and I touched the brakes. I apologise for causing the crash.

“I hope that Goss, who’s a friend, and the other riders have no serious injuries. I hurt my side and I can’t move one of my wrists, but I don’t intend to withdraw.”

Ventoso pipped Italians Fabio Felline and Giacomo Nizzolo on the line at the end of a flat 166km stage punctuated by occasional rain showers.

Ventoso, 30, was celebrating his second career stage win in the Giro, having won a stage in last year’s renewal in the same region of Italy.

“In the early sprints I found it tough to stay up at the front, because the peloton is very compact and the risks are greater,” he said. “However, after a week, when the first one has been so tough as it has been in this Giro, things change. “Realising this, I decided to save my energy for the second week.

“In the final sprint I wasn’t in a very good position but when the crash occurred I saw that I could benefit from it and I launched my effort.”

Earlier in the stage a three-man breakaway of Pierre Cazaux, Martin Keizer and Brian Bulgac made a bid to pull away shortly after the departure from Giorgio del Sannio, but the Sky-led peloton managed to keep their advantage below five minutes.

Dutchman Keizer pulled away from his companions with 30km remaining but he was reeled in 17km from the finish.

In the final stages, Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez — 8sec behind Hesjedal in second place in the overall standings-tried to steal a march on his rivals, but with no success.

Ventoso, 30, claimed his second Giro success after a previous stage win in nearby Fiuggi last year. Today’s 10th stage is a 186km ride from Civitavecchia to Assisi, which finishes with two short climbs in the closing 3,500 metres.—AFP

Banque Saudi Fransi to issue 5-year sukuk Page 22

Air India scraps 16 flights as pilot strike continues Page 25 TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

Oil slides on euro-zone, China fears Page 24

JPMorgan exec becomes first casualty of bad trade Page 23

Euro-zone heads for recession Output falls 9.0% in the Netherlands BRUSSELS: Output at factories in the euro-zone unexpectedly fell in March, the latest in a series of disappointing numbers signaling that the bloc’s recession may not be as mild as policymakers hope.

Industrial production in the 17 countries sharing the euro fell 0.3 percent in March from February, the EU’s statistics office Eurostat said yesterday. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.4 percent increase in the month.

The figures stood in contrast with German data last week showing output in the euro zone’s largest economy up 2.8 percent for the month, underlying the division in the bloc.

Many economists expect Eurostat to show today that the euro-zone entered its second recession in just three years at the end of March, with households suffering the effects of austerity programs aimed at cutting debt and deficits.

“Industrial production is a timely reminder that first-quarter GDP will likely show a contraction,” said Martin van Vliet, an economist at ING. “With the fiscal

squeeze unlikely to ease soon and the debt crisis flaring up again, any upturn in industrial activity later this year will likely be modest.”

European officials have repeatedly said the slump will be mild, with a recovery in the second half of this year. But the strong economic data seen in January has unexpectedly faded and business surveys point to a deeper downturn, with the drag coming from a debt-laden south, epitomized by Greece, Spain and Italy. Economists polled by Reuters last week estimated the euro-zone economy shrank 0.2 percent in the first quarter, after shrinking 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. “We suspect that a further slowdown in the service sector meant that the wider economy contracted by around 0.2 percent last quarter,” said Ben May, an economist at Capital Economics in London. “What’s more, April’s disappointing survey data for both the industrial and service sectors suggest that the recession may continue beyond the first quarter.” EU leaders will meet in Brussels on May 23 to try to map out ways the euro zone and the wider

Warba Bank acquires $33m building in UK KUWAIT: Warba Bank announced here yesterday the acquisition of the new headquarters of British Telecom (BT ) located in the town of West Bromwich in the UK, which was officially opened in February 2012. The building benefits from a new 15-year lease to BT. “Since establishment, the bank’s strategy was defined and then approved by the board of directors with the help of one of the biggest consultancy firms.

Accordingly, several investment opportunities were studied and the best were seized. This substantial transaction marks one of them, and reflects Warba Bank’s competency and capability to conclude successful investments generating ongoing returns and cash flows at a carefully considered risk profile,” Jassar Al-Jassar, Chairman and Managing Director of Warba Bank. “This achievement is in line with our vision aiming at building an investment base which is lucrative for the Bank and its shareholders on medium to long-term basis,” he added.

The building enjoys excellent characteristics and is distinguished by its unique and award-winning design. It provides long-term income and a security of a world class covenant for Warba Bank. The transaction delivers an annual cash yield of 8 percent, and is expected to generate an internal rate of return of more than 10 percent, he said. Given its experience and reputation in this field, London-based Gatehouse Bank plc has been appointed as an adviser for the transaction.

The British Telecom building is located in the center of West Bromwich, just five miles north-west of Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK after London.

The building is compliant with the latest international superior standards, and benefits from the reputation of the tenant.

Moreover, the building is located in a rapidly growing region; where the global retailer “Tesco” is building a GBP 200 million shopping center near BT building.

Further, several new public buildings; such as the “University of Sandwell”, worth GBP 77 million, and a new police station at a cost of GBP 10 million are currently under constructed. All these factors will contribute to improving the infrastructure, which in turn will attract several new investments and support the local economic growth. Warba Bank is an Islamic bank established by virtue of an Amiri Decree, and was officially registered in the Central Bank of Kuwait’s list of Islamic banks on April 5th, 2010. The State of Kuwait, represented by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), owns 24 percent of the bank’s shares while the remaining 76 percent of shares, fully subscribed by the government, have been equally allocated to all Kuwaiti nationals.

Warba Bank offers a range of customized Sharia-compliant services and solutions through the banks three divisions of Retail, Investment and Corporate Banking. Branching out in four strategic locations, Warba Bank has over 150 employees. — KUNA

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

Saudi hits 12-week low; Gulf down on Greece DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s bourse slumped to a fresh 12-week low yesterday and other markets also fell as uncertainty over Greece’s future position in the euro zone hit sentiment and investors cut risk across the region. The kingdom’s index fell 1.6 percent to 7,067 points, its lowest finish since Feb. 22. The 7,000 level is considered a strong psychological technical support level where buying may come in.

“Selling pressure is back across the board as Saudi takes cues from global markets,” said Muhammad Faisal Potrik, research analyst at Riyad Capital.

Brent crude slipped $1.69 to $110.57 a barrel by 1117 GMT, extending recent heavy losses, weighing on investor sentiment. “Oil prices had run up quite a bit but in terms of petrochemical companies, margins will still be good. You won’t see a major drop in those right now,” Potrik added.

Most sectors ended lower as investors cut risk. Bellwether Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and Al Rajhi fell 1.8 and 1.3 percent respectively, while telecoms operator Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) lost 2.3 percent.

Uncertainty over the impact of a potential Greek exit from the euro drove a rush to safety by investors yesterday, sending the single currency and European shares down to near four-month lows.

Unied Arab Bourses bourses also slipped and Dubai’s index fell 0.4 percent to its lowest finish since Feb 7. “We are back in Europe to where we were in Q2 last year,” said Marwan Shurrab, vice-president at Gulfmena Investments. “All the fears are again on Greece and until there is a clear stand towards a direction, global markets will be extremely volatile. It scares investors from making mature, long-term decisions ..., which is not healthy for the region.”

Bellwether Emaar Properties and Dubai Islamic Bank fell 1.7 and 1.5 percent respec-

tively, weighing on the index. Deyaar Development sheds 2.9 percent. Contractor Arabtec bucked the trend and gained 4.7 percent, up from a near-seven week low on bargain-hunting.

Arabtec said yesterday Aabar’s stake in the company is 20.8 percent, refuting a press report which cited Aabar’s chairman saying the fund owns 53 percent of the company.

“Arabtec’s free float is now very low with Aabar buying stake through different subsidiaries and it is easy to manipulate the move,” said Samer Al-Jaouni, General Manager of Middle East Financial Brokerage Co. “Today, it is pure speculation from small traders.” Dubai’s benchmark finished at 1,482 points. “There is a bullish divergence between the index and the relative strength index (RSI) on the hourly chart, which indicates it might rebound again from these levels back towards 1,503 to 1,515,” said Amjad Bakir, equity portfolio manager, head of MENA CORP securities.

In Qatar, the measure slipped 0.6 percent to close at its lowest since Jan 29.

Heavyweight Industries Qatar dipped 1.7 percent and Barwa Real Estate shed 1.3 percent. Elsewhere, Oman’s bourse slumped to a 12-week closing low as below-expected earnings worsened the dampened sentiment from turmoil in global markets. The index fell 1.4 percent to its lowest finish since Feb. 16.

Galfar Engineering dropped 9.5 percent.

It reported earnings of 1.7 million rials ($4.5 million).

“Galfar’s results missed market expectations along with the fears of the global situation all together killed the market,” said Adel Nasr, United Securities brokerage manager. “Sentiment will remain negative for a while. Volumes are not supporting any technical rebound currently.” — Reuters

European Union can return to growth while still cutting debts and deficits, but economists and investors say there is little room to manoeuvre.

“In addition to ‘high alert and forceful’ crisis management, Europe still needs to articulate more clearly its longer-term game plan,” Erik Nielsen, Unicredit’s global chief economist, wrote in a note to clients on Sunday. In terms of the March output data, economists said the performance underlines the weak demand for goods such as machinery and consumer products, as the currency area suffers from the impact of a two-year debt crisis that has driven unemployment to a record high. On an annual basis, factory output sank 2.2 percent in March, the fourth consecutive monthly slide, Eurostat said, and only Germany, Slovenia and Slovakia were able to post growth. The picture was similar on a monthly basis, with foreign demand for German cars and high quality machinery driving production. But elsewhere, output fell 9 percent in the Netherlands, the biggest drop in the eurozone for the month. — Reuters

ATHENS: Tourists walk yesterday in the Monastiraki area in the center of Athens.

Greece yesterday faced the prospect of fresh polls after failing to narrow divisions over a painful EU-IMF bailout accord as EU partners pressed for a coalition government deal to avoid its exit from the euro. — AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Banque Saudi Fransi to issue 5-year sukuk Deal size at least $500 million DUBAI: Banque Saudi Fransi plans to issue a five-year benchmark-sized Islamic bond, or sukuk, arranging banks said yesterday, after the lender completed investor meetings last week.

An issue would be the Saudi bank’s first sukuk under a recently-established $2 billion program.

Initial guidance for the sukuk was at 200 basis points over midswaps. Benchmark is usually understood to be at least $500 million. Market sources expect healthy demand for the deal, propped up by a strong regional bid, despite the euro zone uncertainty which is currently weighing on global markets. “(Pricing) is better than rumored last week but still relatively tight versus peers,” said one

regional trader, adding earlier market chatter had indicated guidance in late 100s over midswaps area. “We still anticipate a decentsized book and expect pricing to tighten further before launch.”

Dollar-denominated bonds from Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, come to market relatively infrequently, and attract substantial demand when they do. Saudi Electricity’s $1.75 billion sukuk earlier this year received orders in excess of $15 billion.

“They (Banque Saudi Fransi) should have big books since there is scarcity of Saudi paper,” said another regional trader. Banque Saudi Fransi’s existing $650 million 4.5 percent conventional

Talaat Moustafa Q1 profit climbs 2.5% CAIRO: Talaat Moustafa Group ( TMG), Egypt’s biggest listed property developer, reported a 2.5 percent rise in first-quarter net profit as sales rebounded from the same period of 2011, when they were disrupted by political turmoil.

The firm reported yesterday net profit of 173.7 million Egyptian pounds ($28.8 million) in the first quarter, compared to last year’s 169.4 million pounds. Sales jumped to 1.08 billion pounds compared with 568 million in the same period a year earlier.

“These new sales should be recorded in the income statement over the coming years upon delivery of related units sold,” CI Capital said of the figures. CI Capital analyst Hany Samy said the consensus of market forecasts compiled by his institution was 163 million pounds, meaning TMG’s net profit came in 7 percent higher. “So far, the company is moving in the right direc-

tion but of course any negative development in the state’s political situation will reflect badly on the firm, as well as others,” he said. A presidential election starts on May 23 and 24.

The firm’s total revenues dropped 5.4 percent to 1.30 billion pounds from 1.37 billion in the same period last year. Its shares slipped 0.9 percent, compared to the benchmark index which was down 0.4 percent.

TMG, like most firms in Egypt, suffered deeply from the economic turmoil sparked by the uprising that erupted in January 2011 and drove Hosni Mubarak from office in early February of that year.

A big burden was lifted from the firm in November when an administrative court ended a row over the legality of the company’s purchase of state land for its flagship Madinaty project. — Reuters

0827 GMT. “Arabtec’s free float is now ver y low with Aabar buying stakes through different subsidiaries and it is easy to manipulate the move,” said Samer al-Jaouni, general manager of Middle East Financial Brokerage Co. “Today, it is pure speculation from small traders.” Aabar Chairman Khadem AlQubaisi on Saturday told Arabic daily Alrroya that the fund had taken control of the builder by buying a 23-percent stake directly from Arabtec and the remaining 30 percent from other shareholders.

Aabar, which owns stakes in highprofile names such as German carmaker Daimler and commodities trader Glencore, first raised its Arabtec stake to disclosure levels in March when it emerged it owned 5.3 percent. It later doubled it to 10.5 percent through another subsidiary.

The Abu Dhabi fund dropped a $1.7 billion bid for a 70-percent stake in Arabtec two years ago. Months later, Aaber delisted from the Abu Dhabi bourse after it was taken private by its then-majority shareholder, International Petroleum Investments Corp (IPIC). — Reuters

TOKYO: A Japan Airlines jetliner taking off from the Haneda International airport in Tokyo. Japan Airlines (JAL), which went bankrupt two years ago in one of the country’s biggest-ever corporate failures, yesterday logged an annual net profit of $2.33 billion, thanks to cost-cutting efforts. — AFP

Japan Airlines reports $2.33bn net profit

Telecom Egypt posts 1.7% rise in net profit CAIRO: Telecom Egypt reported a 1.7 percent rise in quarterly net profit, and said while the local business environment was stabilizing it was too early to say whether it would pay an interim dividend.

“For the time being we continue to operate in a turbulent environment so the first-quarter result is not the time to make a decision about distribution of dividends,” chief financial officer Hassan Helmy told Reuters yesterday.

Chief executive Tarek Aboualam said the company expected 2012 revenue to be flat to slightly lower and a mid-40s EBITDA percent margin. Egypt’s economy has been battered by political turmoil since Hosni Mubarak was ousted from office in February 2011.

Since then, a transition to democracy has been marred by violence and rows between political groups and the ruling army. Telecom Egypt reported first-quarter consolidated net income of 912 million Egyptian pounds ($151 million), on revenue up 12 percent to 2.68 billion pounds. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were 1.39 billion pounds, delivering a margin of 52 percent, the company said.

Earnings per share were 0.53 pound. The company said it wanted to become an integrated telecoms provider and was targeting a mobile virtual network operator if the regulator’s terms were suitable.

“Our goal of becoming a total telecoms provider has taken an important step forward with the recent announcement that the National Telecommunications Authority has approved in principle the issuance of an MVNO license,” Aboualam said. “We hope that the dialogue on the terms of this license will be concluded soon,” he said, adding that an internal NTRA committee was preparing the legal and technical terms for the license to be issued by around August. Telecom Egypt owns a 45 percent stake in British operator Vodafone’s local unit. It said Vodafone Egypt contributed 192 million pounds to group profit. It shares were down 0.9 percent at 1120 GMT. — Reuters

Arabtec refutes ownership reports DUBAI: Arabtec Holding yesterday denied reports that shareholder Aabar Investments had taken a majority stake in the builder, saying the Abu Dhabi fund’s current position was only 20.8 percent.

Shares in Arabtec, the United Arab Emirates’ biggest builder by market value, slumped a day earlier on fears it may de-list after an official at the Dubai Financial Market told Reuters the stateowned fund had raised its stake to 53 percent. That followed an Arabic daily report which quoted Aabar’s chairman who was appointed to the same post at Arabtec last week - as saying the fund owns the majority stake.

“The newspaper article posted in Alrroya Aleqtissadiya ‘Aabar acquires 53 percent of Arabtec’ on 12/05/2012 includes incorrect information,” Arabtec said in a statement yesterday.

“Aabar’s companies’ investments in Arabtec Holding through its investments funds totals is 20.76 percent, according to the share register settlement May 10.”

Arabtec shares recovered some ground yesterday, rising more than 5 percent in early trading before easing lower. The stock was up 1.44 percent at

bond, maturing 2015 was bid at just over 104 yesterday, to yield about 2.79 percent, Thomson Reuters data showed.

It was trading at a zero-volatility spread (zspread) of about 212 basis points. The z-spread is a pricing tool which calculates the number of basis points that need to be added to a zerocoupon yield curve to make the bond’s discounted cash flows equal the bond’s present value.

Roadshows in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and in London, ended on May 11. Citigroup, Credit Agricole and Deutsche Bank are bookrunners on the deal. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japan Airlines (JAL), which went bankrupt two years ago in one of the country’s biggest-ever corporate failures, yesterday logged an annual net profit of $2.33 billion, thanks to cost-cutting efforts.

The carrier said net profit for the year through March was 186.6 billion yen on sales of 1.2 trillion yen, as a strong yen saw more Japanese people travel overseas, although demand was hit by last year’s quake-tsunami disaster. The carrier, which had forecast a 160 billion yen net profit, also said it posted a record operating profit of 205 billion yen in the period.

Despite last year’s natural disasters and record flooding in Thailand, the carrier said it managed to avoid losses by cutting back on its flight schedule. “(Then) JAL reacted swiftly to capture more traffic and deployed larger aircraft and operated extra flights to Honolulu when demand recovered from summer due to the strong yen,” it added in a statement. After filing for bankruptcy in 2010 JAL underwent an aggressive cost-cutting plan, led by charismatic businessman Kazuo Inamori, who was brought in by the government to help turn the firm around.

Inamori, founder of high-tech giant Kyocera, has previously lamented the airline’s lack of cost discipline, saying its executives were too inept to run a vegetable shop.

Yesterday, he warned against complacency at the revived carrier, given “unexpected risks” that routinely hit the airline industry.

“All the employees became united to reduce costs and increase profit,” he told a news briefing in Tokyo. “(But) I keep telling them not to feel complacent of this result,” added the company director who serves as chairman emeritus. In a statement, the company warned that business conditions would “continue to cast uncertainty”, especially

because of rising oil prices, while Europe’s debt problem also threatened the global economy.

The carrier predicted it would earn a profit of 130 billion yen in the present fiscal year. In March 2011, the company exited bankruptcy, more than a year after a spectacular collapse that prompted a government bailout of the once-venerable flag carrier. It went bust with staggering debts of about 2.32 trillion yen but continued flying during its rehabilitation, which included massive job and route cuts.

Japanese media have reported that JAL, which was forced to delist during its crisis, may return to the market by September 2012. President Yoshiharu Ueki yesterday said only that if the carrier were to list “all we can do is to make this company attractive for investors and to continue showing good performance while focusing on safety in our operations.”

In February, the firm said it had ordered 10 new Boeing Dreamliner aircraft as it looks to build on its recovery and fight off the threat from an emerging budget sector.

During its restructuring, the company cut unprofitable routes, reviewed its fleet, and reduced fuel expenses. It also started using a new revenue management system to improve productivity.

Last month, domestic rival All Nippon Airways (ANA) posted a record operating profit of $1.2 billion in the year ended in March, boosted by cost cuts and a recovery in international travel demand. Japan’s aviation market has long been dominated by JAL and ANA, but the launch of a number of new low-cost carriers this year are expected to provide some stiff competition. JAL said it is aiming to save 50 billion yen in costs during the five-year period to March 2017. — AFP

Paladin, Invest AD to launch MENA fund DUBAI: Paladin Capital Group, a US firm, and Abu Dhabi’s Invest AD, plan to launch a $100million private equity fund to invest in companies in fast-growing economies in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, the two companies said yesterday.

Private equity investment in the region is showing slow signs of revival after activity hit a slump in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008. Several mid-sized deals have taken place

regionally this year as companies look for capital to expand businesses.

“Small-and medium-size companies are the backbone of the region’s economy, and they are hungry for capital to expand, operationally and geographically, in the process creating jobs and increasing profits,” Michael Steed, founder and managing partner of Paladin, said in a statement.

The fund will be launched in a joint venture

agreement between the two firms. Washingtonbased Paladin has about $1 billion of committed and invested capital across multiple funds and has invested in over 50 portfolio companies. Invest AD is owned by Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), which focuses on countries closer to home and is a separate entity from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4450000 .3570000 .2960000 .2760000 .2770000 .0040000 .0020000 .0754990 .7355610 .3830000 .0710000 .7210850 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2781000 GB Pound/KD .4466980 Euro .3584430 Swiss francs .2984070 Canadian dollars .2779470 Danish Kroner .0482220 Swedish Kroner .0398390 Australian dlr .2785170 Hong Kong dlr .0358150 Singapore dlr .2219650 Japanese yen .0034770 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0757460 Bahraini dinars .7379590 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0741800 Omani riyals .7226190 Philippine Peso .0000000

.2815000 .4540000 .3640000 .3060000 .2850000 .2900000 .0070000 .0035000 .0762570 .7429540 .4000000 .0770000 .7283320 .0072000 .0500000 .2802000 .4501910 .3611500 .3006600 .2800460 .0485860 .0401400 .2806200 .0360860 .2236410 .0035030 .0052570 .0021870 .0030940 .0034440 .0763180 .7435320 .3963220 .0747400 .7280760 .0066230

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah

279.250 3.073 5.215 2.195 3.412 6.620 76.120 74.610 742.300 46.231 454.200 3.090

Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

1.550 366.400 284.700 3.350

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

279.000 362.700 450.500 281.000 3.515 5.193 46.225 2.167 3.410 6.550 3.075 742.800 75.950 74.450

SELL DRAFT SELL CASH

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

284.00 283.62 304.91 363.77 278.60 451.36 3.57 3.408 5.197 2.182 3.269 3.071 75.92 742.13 46.18 396.93 725.10 76.93 74.50

292.00 286.00 311.00 367.00 279.40 453.50 3.65 3.550 5.525 2.550 4.000 3.250 76.30 741.50 47.65 394.50 726.00 77.75 74.60

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

279.150 280.710 451.520 363.245 301.400 739.225

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound

SELL CASH 283.300 742.920 3.670 282.700 548.700 45.500 49.400 167.800 47.870 365.300 36.700 5.450 0.032 0.160 0.229 3.590 395.890 0.189 93.110 45.000 4.290 221.800 1.810 48.800 725.620 3.160 6.840 77.270 74.590 224.270 38.290 2.661 452.700 41.000 303.600 4.400

9.350 198.263 76.170 279.700 1.340

9.150 76.070 279.300

GOLD 1,659.950

10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 450.700 279.300

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Bahrain Exchange Company

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY

Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

75.980 76.625 74.400 392.945 46.269 2.175 5.203 3.078 3.414 6.582 684.745 4.500 9.075 5.880 3.340 92.370

SELL DRAFT 281.800 742.920 3.411 281.200

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.542 5.204 3.073 2.179 3.301 225.500 35.996 3.411 6.574 8.963 91.158 GCC COUNTRIES 74.536 76.800 726.000 742.390 76.110

224.300 46.294 362.800 36.540 5.215 0.032

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

395.840 0.188 93.110

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.000 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.231 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.304 Tunisian Dinar 179.33 Jordanian Dinar 394.720 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.875 Syrian Lier 4.876 Morocco Dirham 33.183

3.280 220.300 725.440 3.082 6.570 76.840 74.590 224.270 38.290 2.171 450.700 302.100 4.400

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 279.400 Euro 363.78 Sterling Pound 452.930 Canadian dollar 282.79 Turkish lire 156.700 Swiss Franc 305.16 US Dollar Buying 278.200 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 285.000 143.000 71.000

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Euro-zone warns Greece to accept rules, or risk exit BRUSSELS: The EU warned Greece yesterday to stick to rules for a debt rescue or risk leaving the eurozone, as deadlock in Athens and dire straits for Spanish banks return to haunt finance ministers.

Eurogroup finance ministers meet in Brussels from 1500 GMT, with feuding political parties in Athens under stern notice that Greece must respect the conditions of austerity and reform under a March deal for a second bailout.

The alternative, increasingly forecast by analysts and now being broached even among European Union political partners, is that Greece abandons the euro. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel GarciaMargallo, attending talks of chief diplomats in Brussels, stressed that membership of the euro-zone depended on “complying with the rules of the game.”

Jose Manuel Barroso, the head of the European Commission, echoed this almost word for word on Italian television, said his spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen said. Barroso still “hopes and

wishes” that Greece can remain in the euro-zone, but Athens must live up to its commitments, she added.

Irish central bank governor Patrick Honohan has already said that a Greek departure from the eurozone “isn’t necessarily fatal” and could “technically” be managed, Dow Jones reported.

The German finance ministry warned that the “only and right” way out of the crisis is for Athens to respect the terms and timetable of its reform program agreed as part of the EU-IMF bailout.

ETX Capital trader Markus Huber said that “a Greek exit might actually be a good thing for the euro-zone in the long run,” allowing EU partners to focus all their energies on how to support Spain and Italy. European shares sank on Monday and the euro tumbled to the lowest point since January as markets increasingly speculated about the knock-on effects of an exit on the euro-zone banking system and the region’s politics.

Governments had already issued Athens with a

clear warning last week when they withheld some funds already approved for transfer in the immediate post-election period. The latest moves represent something of a last throw of the dice for the EU and the euro-zone as it stands after two years of attempts to shore up the debt-stricken Greek economy. These efforts have been bedevilled by the complexity of the unprecedented problems, divisions on policy and methods, and delays and political conflict in Greece. “Brutal messages are being sent to Greece: we’ll see if that knocks some sense into the leaders of the Greek political parties,” a senior diplomat said.

Greek President Carolos Papoulias resumes lastditch meetings with party leaders around the same time as the Eurogroup talks begin. If a unity cabinet cannot be formed by Thursday, when parliament convenes, new elections will have to be called in June-with the possibility that the anti-EU austerity voices which secured a majority in the May 6 poll could do even better.

While events in Athens in the short-term remain outside the control of Greece’s euro-zone partners, the finance ministers will be looking for the beginnings of some answers from Spain. Public financial forecasts suggest Spain-mired in recession with onein-four unemployed-has little chance of meeting even revised government deficit targets. The overall goal is to meet the notional EU target of a public revenue shortfall equal to no more than 3.0 percent of gross domestic product by the end of next year.

Figures were already sliding before the scale of the problems facing Spanish banks, after the collapse of a property boom, were laid bare last week.

Drastic Spanish government reforms announced on Sunday force banks to set up a new 30-billioneuro financial cushion and to remove risky property assets from their accounts.

Spanish Finance Minister Luis de Guindos is expected to set out the Madrid government’s preferred strategy at the talks. — AFP

JPMorgan exec becomes first casualty of bad trade Drew leaves firm after serving 30 years

MADRID: People hold cardboards reading “This bank cheats, defrauds, throws people out of their houses” during a protest held outside Bankia’s headquarters in Madrid yesterday.

Three other top Spanish banks, Santander, CaixaBank and Bankia, said they would take another 10 billion euros in similar provisions this year in response to the latest government reform on risky Spanish assets. — AFP

Spain banks reveal new provisions, shares slump MADRID: Spain’s top four banks announced 11.3 billion euros ($15 billion) in new bad-loan provisions to comply with a sweeping reform but their shares plunged yesterday as investors feared worse to come.

They stumped up the additional cash under new rules unveiled Friday, which obliged Spanish banks to set aside an extra 30 billion euros in 2012 in case loans to the collapsed property sector go bad.

That was on top of the 53.8 billion euros the banks were told to set aside to comply with reforms enacted in February. Under the latest reform, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government charged two auditing firms with valuing banks’ exposure to the property sector.

It also forced banks to remove seized property assets from their balance sheets and place them in separate agencies. A slew of banks issued statements in the days after the reform revealing the impact of the new rules for this year. Among the largest were: Santander, the biggest euro-zone bank by market value, said it would set aside an additional 2.7 billion euros. BBVA, the second largest Spanish bank, said it would make an additional 1.8 billion euros in provisions.

CaixaBank, the country’s third largest, will provision 2.1 billion euros more.

Bankia, which the government announced last week will be nationalised to salvage its balance sheet from a vast exposure to the property sector, said it would set aside 4.7 billion euros. Concerned that the banking reform may not go far enough, despite being welcomed by European Union officials and the IMF, investors sent banking shares into a steep slide.

By mid afternoon, Santander had slumped 3.65 percent to 4.693 euros; BBVA dropped 3.34 percent to 5.068 euros; and CaixaBank tumbled 2.37 percent to 2.39 euros. Bankia plummeted 9.27 perecnt to 1.879 euros, bringing its accumulated losses so far this month to 27.5 percent. Bank of Spain figures

show the commercial banks held problematic real estate assets, including loans and seized property, of 184 billion euros, 60 percent of their property portfolio at the end of 2011.

In a further sign of strain, central bank data yesterday showed Spanish banks boosted their borrowing from the European Central Bank to a record 263.5 billion euros in April as they took up emergency cheap loans. New York-based credit risk assessor Moody’s Investors Service welcomed the state takeover of Bankia and the extra provisions but warned of rapidly rising problem loans.

“We view many Spanish banks as vulnerable to the current recession and ongoing real estate crisis,” Moody’s said in a weekly report.

It said there was a risk of growing losses in areas not covered by the latest reform such as home mortgages, consumer finance and loans to small and midsize businesses. The government has said banks unable to finance their own provisions can borrow from the state-backed Fund for Orderly Bank Restructuring (FROB) at an interest rate of 10 percent.

This, Moody’s said, could leave the state taking on more debt. The agency said it estimated total recapitalization needs for the banks at 50 billion euros, in addition to 15 billion euros already committed by the FROB. “However, there is a risk that further provisioning and recapitalization will be required, increasing the government’s already high debt burden further,” Moody’s said.

The general government debt ratio could rise to more than 90 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, nearly triple the low of 36 percent in 2007, it said. Moody’s said Spain could still turn to the European rescue mechanisms to find funding for its banks-an option that the government has refused to countenance. Concerns over the banks leaked into the sovereign debt market, forcing Spain to pay moderately higher borrowing rates as it raised 2.903 billion euros ($3.7 billion) in an auction of 12- and 18-month notes. — AFP

SYDNEY: Money changer Tirth Acharya of India displays a selection of US dollars (left) and Australian polymer notes (right) as the local currency reached parity in Sydney yesterday. The Australian dollar briefly dropped below parity with the greenback for the first time since December, 2011 as political turmoil in Greece led traders to sell riskier assets. — AFP

NEW YORK: The chief investment officer at JPMorgan Chase, one of the highest-ranking women on Wall Street, will retire, the company said yesterday. She becomes the first casualty of the bank’s $2 billion trading blunder.

The bank said Ina Drew, 55, would retire after more than 30 years with the company. She will be replaced by Matt Zames, an executive from JPMorgan’s investment bank. CEO Jamie Dimon said Drew’s “vast contributions to our company should not be overshadowed by these events.”

JPMorgan, the largest bank in the United States, is seeking to minimize the damage from the trading mistake, which Dimon has conceded will complicate the efforts of banks to fight certain regulatory changes. Drew, one of the highest-paid officials at JPMorgan Chase, had offered to resign several times since Dimon disclosed the trading loss on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Sunday.

At least two other executives at the bank will be held accountable for the mistake, the person said. Drew oversaw the division of the bank responsible for the loss. She was paid $15.5 million last year and almost $16 million in 2010, making her one of the highest-paid officials at JPMorgan, according to a regulatory filing.

Drew declined comment through a bank spokeswoman. Kristin Lemkau, a spokeswoman for JPMorgan Chase, also declined comment.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Drew and two other executives were expected to resign soon.

The Journal also reported that Bruno Iksil, the JPMorgan trader identified as the “London whale” because of the giant bets he placed, was also likely to leave, but the paper reported that it was not clear when that would happen. The surprise loss has been a black eye for the bank and for Dimon, who is known in the industry both as a master of risk management and as an outspoken opponent of some proposed regulation since the crisis.

Dimon said in a TV interview aired Sunday that he was “dead wrong” when he dismissed concerns about the bank’s trading last month.

“We made a terrible, egregious mistake,” Dimon said in an interview that was taped Friday and aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“There’s almost no excuse for it.” Dimon said he did not know the extent of the problem

when he said in April that the concerns were a “tempest in a teapot.” The loss came in the past six weeks.

Dimon has said it came from trading in socalled credit derivatives and was designed to hedge against financial risk, not to make a profit for the bank. A piece of financial regulation known as the Volcker rule would prevent banks from certain kinds of trading for their own profit.

Dimon has said the trading involved in the $2 billion loss would not have fallen under the rule.

Rep. Barney Frank, a Democrat, told ABC’s “This Week” that he hopes the final version of the Volcker rule will prevent the type of trading that led to the massive loss at JPMorgan.

Dimon conceded to NBC that the bank “hurt ourselves and our credibility” and expects to “pay the price for that.” Asked what the price should be, Sen. Carl Levin, a Democrat, said that banks will lose their fight to weaken the rule.

“This was not a risk-reducing activity that they

engaged in. This increased their risk,” Levin told NBC. “So we’ve got to be very, very careful that the regulators here are not undermined by this huge effort to weaken the rule by putting in a huge loophole” that includes the trading involved in the JPMorgan loss, he said.

Dimon said the bank is open to inquiries from regulators. He has also promised, in an email to the bank’s employees and in a conference call with stock analysts, to get to the bottom of what happened and learn from the mistake. Dimon told NBC that he supported giving the government the authority to dismantle a failing big bank and wipe out shareholder equity. But he stressed that JPMorgan, the largest bank in the United States, is “very strong.”

Addressing public anger toward Wall Street, Dimon said he wants a more equitable society and does not mind paying higher taxes. But he said attacking all of business is “very counterproductive. — AP

NEW YORK: People walk outside JPMorgan Chase & Co headquarters in New York yesterday.

JPMorgan Chase said yesterday its chief investment officer Ina Drew was resigning in the wake of the bank’s stunning $2 billion loss on derivatives trading. — AFP

‘Singapore Girls’ can now fly well into her 50s SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines stewardesses will now be able to fly well into their 50s after the airline agreed to add up to three years to their careers, the company said yesterday.

Under the new agreement signed by Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Singapore Airlines Staff Union, junior stewardesses-who usually start working at 23 — can fly for up to 20 years from 17 years previously, SIA said. Those promoted to leading and chief stewardess rank can serve for up to 25 and 30 years respectively, up from 23 and 28 years previously.

The new rules also apply to male cabin crew who joined after 2004. Men who signed up before 2004 are allowed to work until they are 62. The new agreement, which came into effect on May 9, “allows us to offer longer employment terms for all our employees”, the airline said in an email to AFP. “At the same time, it will also help us to retain experienced cabin crew.”

The airline’s flight attendants, who it has referred to as “Singapore Girls” since the 1970s, have long played a central role in the airline’s advertising campaigns, despite critics labelling the marketing as outdated and sexist. Frequent winners of travel industry awards for cabin crew service, the flight attendants are recruited from several Asian countries and wear distinctive uniforms with batik prints.

“People are living longer and starting families later, so the aim is to make sure our people stay employed longer,” the Straits Times newspaper quoted SIA staff union president Tony Sim as saying.

Sim also stated that the move was in line with the Singapore government’s push to get people to extend their working lives. SIA is under pressure from competitors in the high end of the market and is being buffeted by high fuel prices, global economic woes and budget carriers offering cheaper, no-frills flight. The airline, considered a bellwether for the industry, announced last week that its full-year profit for 2011 slumped 69 percent year-on-year in only its third quarterly loss in the history of the company.

Net profit for the year to March plunged to Sg$336 million ($268 million) on group revenues of Sg$14.86 billion, the carrier reported. — AFP

US stocks drop sharply on worries over Europe NEW YORK: US stocks fell hard yesterday as a political stalemate in Greece rattled financial markets worldwide. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 130 points to 12,690 a halfhour after the opening bell. That’s a loss of 1 percent.

Oil dropped below $95 per barrel, and the euro sank against the dollar. Treasury prices jumped as traders shifted money into the safest bonds. The yield on the 10-year note fell to 1.77 percent, the lowest level this year.

Political parties in Athens resumed powersharing talks yesterday as negotiations to create a government drag into a second week.

The uncertainty has raised concerns that Greece could miss a debt payment and drop out of the euro currency. The worry is that if Greece leaves the currency union, bond traders may turn on other troubled countries in Europe and demand steeper borrowing rates on the government bond market.

In other trading, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped 13 points to 1,340. The

Nasdaq composite fell 24 points to 2,909.

Major markets in Europe plunged yesterday. France’s CAC-40 lost 2.9 percent, and Germany’s DAX dropped 2.3 percent.

Benchmark indexes also dropped 3 percent in Italy and Spain. JPMorgan Chase fell nearly 3 percent in early trading, following news that its chief investment officer, Ina Drew, would step down. The bank said last week that it lost $2 billion in a trade on corporate debt. Other banks followed JPMorgan lower. Morgan Stanley fell 3.6 percent and Goldman Sachs fell 1.8 percent. Yahoo gained more than 3 percent after the company replaced its CEO, Scott Thompson.

Yahoo reportedly pushed Thompson out for padding his resume. Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. rose 1.8 percent after the company’s founder, Richard Schulze, said he would step down as chairman. An investigation found that he knew the CEO was having a relationship with a female employee and did not alert the audit committee. — AP

TOKYO: A man watches an electronic stock indicator in Tokyo yesterday. Asian stocks also endured losses, although one notable exception was Japan, where the benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.2 percent to close at 8,973.84. —AP

24

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

business

Oil slides on euro-zone, China fears US crude slips to lowest since December LONDON: Oil fell sharply yesterday, extending recent heavy losses, as mounting political uncertainty in Greece and worry about the prospects for growth in China added to a sense that the demand outlook is worsening.

Adding to jitters about the future of the euro zone, Greece’s radical leftist leader spurned an invitation from the president for a final round of coalition talks on Monday, pushing Athens to the brink of fresh polls. This added to already mounting worries of a global economic slowdown triggered by last week’s lacklustre industrial output data from China, the world’s second-largest economy and energy consumer.

Brent crude slipped $1.69 to $110.57 a barrel by 1117 GMT, stretching its losses into a third session, after settling at $112.26 on Friday. It earlier fell more than $2, and was heading for its lowest close since Jan. 25. It was as high as $128 per barrel at the start of March.

US crude fell $1.86 to $94.27. It sunk to its lowest since December 19. “With the Greek elections putting in peril the euro zone unity, the Chinese industrial production putting in peril the main engine of growth...last week was a pretty bad week for global sentiment,” said Olivier Jakob, at Petromatrix in Zug. He said this poor sentiment was dragging on into this week, and that a Saudi call for oil at $100 per barrel was adding to the negative tone.

The world’s biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia wants an oil price of around $100 a barrel and would like to see global inven-

tories rise before demand picks up in the second half of the year, Oil Minister Ali AlNaimi said. China’s central bank on the weekend cut the amount of cash banks must hold as reserves, freeing an estimated 400 billion yuan ($63.5 billion) for lending, after data showed the economy weakening, not recovering, from its slowest quarter of growth in three years.

German chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives suffered a defeat on Sunday in an election in the country’s most populous state, a result which could embolden the left opposition to step up attacks on her European austerity policies. Giving some support to the oil price, Iran warned Western powers on Sunday that applying pressure on Tehran could jeopardize talks on its nuclear program, state television reported.

Iran’s dispute with the West about its nuclear program and a European Union embargo on Tehran’s oil, set for July, sent prices soaring in the first quarter.

A senior UN nuclear official said Iran must give his inspectors access to information, people and sites as he began a two-day meeting with Iranian officials on the Islamic state’s disputed atomic activities yesterday. Technical analysts saw scope for further weakness in Brent crude, given the price action seen in recent days. “The next support is seen at $108.90 and $108.50 but the price signals are not indicating that the price is basing out at the moment,” said Lynnden Branigan, technical analyst at Barclays Capital.— Reuters

Bonfire of the hedge fund oil longs LONDON: Bullish investors finally abandoned hope for a recovery in oil prices, at least in the short term, in the week ending May 8, slashing their long positions in WTI-linked futures and options by the largest amount in more than five years. Hedge funds and other money managers reduced their long position in US crude by the equivalent of nearly 54 million barrels of oil, the largest one-week decline since at least June 2006, according to data released by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The long liquidation was three times greater than in the “flash crash”, almost exactly a year ago on May 5, 2011, when speculative longs were cut by a little under 19 million barrels.

Tumbling prices drew some fresh interest from speculators on the short side. Money managers boosted their short positions in WTI-linked contracts from 48 million barrels to 75 million, the highest level recorded for seven months.

The ratio of hedge fund long to short positions halved from 6.2:1 to just 3.2:1, the lowest since October 2011, and far below the recent peak of 11.8, back at the height of the oil price spike in February.

Net long positions held by hedge funds and other money managers have

fallen from 304 million barrels on February 28 to just 169 million barrels this month.

The net long position has fallen to seven-month lows, reversing all the buildup in speculative length since October last year.

Long liquidation by the hedge funds and commodity trading advisers (CTAs) will grab the limelight, but the other side of those position changes is just as interesting.

Part of the adjustment came about from a fall in the massive net short position run by banks and other swap dealers, which was down by 27 million barrels. Another chunk came from a drop in reported producer/processor/merchant/user net short positions, down 15 million barrels. But a big and unexplained chunk was simply transferred to the mysterious “other reportables” category. Net long positions held by other reportables rose just over 27 million barrels to a record 171 million barrels.

Other reportables boosted their long positions by 11 million barrels and cut shorts by 16 million barrels.

Other reportables now have larger gross long and short positions, and a larger net position, in the market than hedge funds, CTAs and other classified as money managers.

The overwhelming bulk of other reportables’ positions are held in the main NYMEX light sweet crude oil futures and options contracts, or in NYMEX calendar swaps, with a few more in average pricing options, with minimal holdings in European-style options and financial settled contracts.

The category is the fastest-growing par ticipant in the W TI futures and options market, according to CFTC data, but almost nothing is known about the traders in this segment.

The CFTC defines them simply as “every other reportable trader that is not placed into one of the other three categories is placed into the other reportables category,” which is not terribly helpful.

Repeated requests to the Commission’s staff to explain what sort of firms are classified under this heading, whether the classification has changed, or if the rise in other reportables’ position is due to organic growth, have failed to elicit any response. What is clear is that other reportables have become crucial liquidity providers.

Their willingness to take the other side of hedge fund/CTA positions helps explain why prices have moved so smoothly in recent months, despite the hefty accumulation and then liquidation of hedge fund holdings. — Reuters

Back into the euro-zone storm GLOBAL ECONOMY WEEK AHEAD WASHINGTON: Greece ditching the euro, huge tax hikes and spending cuts in the United States in 2013, plus a showdown over Iran’s nuclear ambitions are three big political risks looming over a global economic recovery that looks more uncertain by the day.

The global outlook clouded late last week. The European Commission downgraded growth forecasts for Spain and Greece; China reported weak retail sales, bank lending and industrial output; and India’s industrial output slumped for the first time in five months.

The US economy already has hit a soft patch. Its giant service sector is slowing and employment growth has cooled. While US manufacturing is holding firm, weakness in Asia and Europe makes it vulnerable to loss of export markets.

One bright spot for the global economy is oil. If high-level meetings this week with Iran succeed in defusing nuclear tensions, growth could get a major fillip from lower oil prices.

Brent crude prices already have fallen by 9 percent since early March, and the Institute of International Finance estimates they could retreat a further 14 percent to 18 percent if the political risk premium from Iran was squeezed out.

Relief from political risks stemming from the United States, however, will take much longer.

Resolving US budget battles, which threaten to thrust the nation back into recession next year if planned tax increases and budget cuts go through, must await the November presidential and congressional elections.

That leaves Europe as the immediate wild card in the deck. “The question for 2012 is whether the euro zone will limp through without anything worse than the kind of slow-motion recession underway now,” said David Levy, chairman of the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center.

A week after 70 percent of Greece’s electorate rejected the harsh budget cutbacks required under a joint European Union/IMF bailout, leaders in Athens have failed to form a government.

This has revived market talk that Greek could default, and perhaps even exit the euro-zone, spooking investors still raw from the Lehman Brothers collapse and leaving them uncertain whether they would escape damage. At best, Levy said, Europe cannot escape a severe retrenchment over the next few years, which will drag on global growth. The euro zone shrank 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter and analysts forecast that GDP data due today will show a further 0.2 percent decline in the first quarter.

If the numbers come in even worse, they will add momentum to socialist French President-elect Francois Hollande’s call for Europe to embrace a new growth strategy.

Euro-zone finance ministers will discuss a growth pact for Europe to complement their strict budgetary rules, known as the Fiscal Compact, at a meeting on Monday.

More critical will be the relationship forged between France’s new leader and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hollande heads to Berlin after he is sworn into office today and then to Washington to meet Obama.

Europe’s new power couple appears ready to embrace a growth pact. But analysts warn that warm words from Berlin and Paris next week about infrastructure investment and allowing a flexible timetable for reaching budget deficit targets for countries like Greece, Spain and Portugal will not be enough.

Investors are exhausted with half measures to fix the euro-zone sovereign debt crisis and want more lasting solutions. Huw Pill, an economist at Goldman Sachs, said a bold program of EU-wide deep economic reforms is what’s needed.

“What is at stake is the pace of fiscal adjustment and design of supporting policies along other dimensions - monetary, structural and institutional,” he told clients.

Bolting a growth plank onto Europe’s economic house might be a short-term necessity while in recession. But if EU leaders want a lasting answer to a 10.9 percent jobless rate and 50 percent youth unemployment in Greece and Spain, they must overhaul an array of work and business rules more worthy of medieval guilds than of a modern, internationally competitive economy.

That is no easy task. The EU adopted the Lisbon Strategy in 2000 to tackle low productivity and high costs. But its attempts to make Europe the most competitive region in the world by 2010 had failed miserably long before the financial crisis hit.

Goldman Sachs has developed some models to estimate what types of reforms would deliver the most effective returns and achieve a lasting overhaul of the euro-zone economy.

It concluded that if Germany reduced its reliance on exports in favor of higher levels of domestic spending and inflation, while southern European countries allowed deflationary pressures on wages to take hold and shifted labor into export industries, the economic adjustment could be achieved relatively smoothly. But getting Germany to agree to 4 percent inflation rate and Spain to deflation while it shifts construction workers into the trade sector is a tough task.

“The political and social feasibility of adjustments of this size is open to question, both in the countries that face inflation and those that endure unemployment,” Pill said.

If that continues to be the case, political risks from Europe could cast a pall over the global outlook for many months, and perhaps even years, to come. — Reuters

MUMBAI: An Indian vegetable vendor waits for customers at a market in Mumbai. India’s inflation unexpectedly accelerated in April to over seven percent as food bills soared, data showed yesterday diminishing chances of swift interest rate cuts to boost a stumbling economy. — AFP

25

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

business

India inflation posts surprise 7.23% jump rupee hovers around record low

Interview

Escape Forward to Global Social Market Economy n an exclusive interview with the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), Grzegorz W. Kolodko, Professor of International Political Economy at Warsaw-based Kozminski University and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Republic of Poland, talks about Polish economic reforms, European debt crisis and the future of capitalism. The interview was conducted following Prof Kolodko’s lecture - Politics and Economics in a Volatile World - at the ECSSR on April 2, 2012.

Question: You played an important role in Poland’s integration into the European Union. Is the country going ahead with its plans to join the euro-zone by 2015?

Answer: I’m afraid Poland won’t join the euro-zone before 2017 or 2018. Afraid because currency convergence would be good for Polish competitiveness and growth. It’s so since a common currency decreases transaction costs and eliminates the exchange rate risk between the euro-zone partners. For Poland it implies about 75 percent of foreign trade. The best time for Poland to join the euro-zone was 2008. Again it was possible since this year, but the government policy has made it impossible.

Q: You have been an architect of Polish economic reforms. What, according to you, has been the key to these reforms and where do things stand today?

A: The key to Poland’s relative success has been complexity in structural change and institution building as well as gradualism and lasting commitment to go toward social market economy. Despite the early shock-without-therapy on the onset of 1990s and mistaken overcooling in the late 1990s, we were able to streamline private entrepreneurship and support it by smart government intervention. This combination, together with caring for social cohesion, is what I call New Pragmatism, as an alternative to both the neoliberalism and right or left populism. Recently, the economy is, unfortunately, losing momentum again and this year GDP growth will be only around 2.5 percent, yet there is a potential for 5-6 percent. Under my stewardship, at the time of ‘Strategy for Poland,’ it was even as much as 7.5 percent and Poland was called ‘ Tiger of Europe.’ The current slowing down is resulting not from the world economic crisis, but is rather due to wrong government policy - a mixture of neoliberalism and populism.

It doesn’t fit, so it doesn’t deliver.

Q: How would you describe the European financial/debt crisis?

What has triggered it and can the recently announced firewall arrest the slide?

A: The European crisis has been different from the American one. If in the latter case it was caused by neoliberal policies, the former basically has been caused by fiscal irresponsibility and living beyond the means. Additionally, wrong regulation of the financial sector, especially banking and a lack of proper supervision have led to reckless lending. Things happen the way they do because many things happen at the same time. Hence the combination of these driving forces, with a series of too-late and too-little bailouts has brought the overall crisis. This is the structural crisis, not just an accident in policymaking. Therefore, the firewall, as developed thus far, may turn to be insufficient to stabilize the situation. One must go deeper, into the systemic roots of the imbalances, and not just act superficially, to cure the symptoms of the disease.

Q: Could you briefly explain the

I

truths, errors and lies you are broadly referring to in your bestselling book ‘Truth, Errors and Lies: Politics and Economics in a Volatile World?

What is the basic premise of the book and what prompted you to

Grzegorz W. Kolodko write it?

A: The book is tour de force across time and space answering the question of the substance of long term development. It is a quest for the question about the successes and failures. In my unorthodox, interdisciplinary approach, I am going through issues and disciplines, regions and countries, ages and generations, cultures and values, from the past into the future, to find a way forward to a better world. The book can be also read as a kind of political economy of globalization and new development economics. It’s published already in 10 languages and now is also available in the Arabic language under the title Hkaak w Akhtaa w Akazeeb. Al Siasah W Al Ektsad F Aalam Motahawel. Columbia University Press has nominated it for the Michael Harrington Book Award for an outstanding book that demonstrates how scholarship can be used in the struggle for a better world. I’m looking forward to learn the critical comments of the Arab readers.

Q: A lot of people have started questioning capitalism these days, but few propose the desired reforms or the framework for an alternative system. What are your views on this matter?

A: Capitalism - that is the market economy based on dominance of private property and profit maximization as the driving force for economic activity - will survive. Yet the neoliberal capitalism - that is the systemic bias which manipulates the market and public opinion, and works on behalf of a few at the cost of many, using for this end such liberal ideas as freedom, democracy, private ownership, market competition - is failing. The current crisis is caused by neoliberalism, hence going back to ‘business as usual’ would be just a recipe for an Even Grander Crisis, as I call it in my book. So, there isn’t a future either for neoliberal capitalism or for state capitalism. What remains, is an escape forward, along the lines of New Pragmatism. It’s a heterodox concept, leading toward a global social market economy, properly regulated on the worldwide scale.

It’s a long way to go, but the only sensible way forward.

Q: In your view, why did we have the global financial crisis? Do you agree that only a fundamental overhaul of institutions and mechanisms can bring things back to normal?

A: Yes, indeed. You are right that we need ‘a fundamental overhaul of institutions and mechanisms.’

However I would challenge the claim that it should bring things back to normal. What’s been recently and what we have now is not normal. It’s an aberration of

sound market economy which serves the needs of a minority at the cost of majority. To overhaul the syndrome we must go forward, and not back. The future should be designed and shaped within the triangle of values, institutions (in the behavioral meaning) and policies. All three must change substantially to stand the mounting challenges of the civilization and interdependent planetary economy.

Q: Do you think the power of global corporations and big banks are undermining the sovereignty of nation-states? How can we tackle this issue?

A: What we face in the contemporary global economic and political game is the lack of compatibility of the nation states and worldwide economy. It’s a kind of flaw, showing that even if the national economies are rational (and most of the time they are not) the sum of them doesn’t create global rationality. How can it be tackled?

It can, but only if there is a proper mechanism of transnational, or worldwide, policy coordination set in motion. Again, a long way to go, but to a certain extent a shift from G7 to G20 is a step in the right direction. To be sure, it calls for much more. Thus, the 21st century must be the century of a quest for global policy coordination, for a supra-national mechanism to negotiate different, quite often colliding purposes. One more time; it calls for the change of values, institutions and policies.

Q: You seem to question the lionizing of so-called BRICS states.

Can one call it an artificial framework created by a global corporate construct? How different is it from organizations such as OECD when it comes to representing the interests of a group of countries? What role are they likely to play in the aftermath of the global financial crisis?

A: BRICS is not an organization.

It is not institutionalized structure.

It does not have common, agreed values. It does not propose any coherent policies. It is just a group of different countries which have been put under the same denominator, because they are big, populous, and emerging. Yet if they decide to discuss the crucial global issues among themselves, and will come to the world forum with an agreed agenda and progressive propositions how to change the values, regulations, and policies, it will make important input in our quest for performing global governance.

Q: As head of a think-tank Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research ( TIGER) - how do you look at research institutions around the world? What role do they play in forming public opinion and policymaking?

A: The research organizations and various think-tanks are so much needed. Much more the former, than the latter since some socalled think-tanks too often happen to be just the instruments of lobbying on behalf of groups of special interests and not on behalf of sustained growth and equitable development. But I can’t see any way for ward, toward a better future if the policy (and not just the economy) is not knowledgebased. Wherefrom such a knowledge is supposed to come if not from the universities and research centers? Definitely not from the biased media, particular lobbies and narrow-minded political parties. The latter must rely on the former and the former be subordinated to the latter.

NEW DELHI: India’s inflation unexpectedly accelerated in April to over seven percent as food bills soared, data showed yesterday, diminishing chances of swift interest rate cuts to boost a stumbling economy. The closely watched Wholesale Price Index rose to 7.23 percent in April from the same month a year ago with food prices climbing more than 10 percent.

Inflation stood at 6.89 percent in March.

The data was the latest grim reminder Asia’s third-largest economy is facing trouble after figures last week showed industrial output shrank by a surprise 3.5 percent in March due to weak domestic demand and falling exports.

The inflation number, which far outpaced market expectations of a 6.7-percent rise, “makes for extremely gloomy reading,” said Credit Suisse economist Robert Prior-Wandesforde.

“India’s growth-inflation mix is not exactly looking favorable right now.” The central bank last month started unwinding a string of aggressive rate hikes, cutting borrowing costs by half a percentage point, as

inflation edged down from last year’s near double-digit levels. But the bank has warned there is little scope for further reducing rates due to still strong inflationary pressures, especially from volatile global fuel prices and rising import costs due to a weakening rupee.

India’s currency headed towards near record lows of 53.90 rupees to the dollar yesterday after the release of the inflation data amid growing investor alarm about the economy.

The latest inflation numbers were seen reinforcing the bank’s determination to go slowly in cutting rates even with evidence mounting the economy is struggling. “The bank will now wait and watch,” Dharmakriti Joshi, chief economist at leading Indian ratings agency Crisil, told AFP. “They’ve already given a big rate cut dose and they’ll hold on some time to see how inflationary pressures evolve and then take a decision on how they can support growth.” The government estimates the economy grew by 6.9 percent in the fiscal year to March

2012 — the weakest clip since the 2008 global financial crisis-and it expects expansion to be 7.6 percent this year.

But many economists expect this year’s growth to be between six and seven percent. Growth has decelerated amid government policy paralysis that has stifled reforms and “there is limited room to ease monetary policy without stoking inflation,” said Leif Eskesen, HSBC chief economist for India.

Late last year, the government shelved plans to open up the retail industry to greater global competition that supporters said would improve India’s dismal supply chain in which up to half of food rots before it reaches the market. India’s slowing expansion also comes as the Congress-led government, battered by a string of graft scandals, has been under heavy financial market pressure to curb public spending and rein in a ballooning fiscal deficit. Underscoring the elevated price pressures, there was also a sharp upward revision in February’s inflation reading to 7.36 percent from an earlier 6.95 percent. — AFP

Air India scraps 16 flights as pilot strike continues NEW DELHI: India’s struggling flagship carrier Air India yesterday cancelled 16 international flights with hundreds of pilots staying away from work as a wildcat strike stretched into its second week.

A company spokesman said about 350 pilots had reported sick as part of a strategy to press the management to accept their demands in a dispute over training. They are protesting against former Indian Airlines pilots, who moved to Air India when the two state-run companies merged in 2007, being trained for new Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.

They say the plan threatens their career prospects. “Sixteen international flights stand cancelled today but a contingency plan will be in place shortly,” Air India spokesman Prasad Rao said in New Delhi without giving further details. Flights into New Delhi from Paris, Riyadh, Toronto and Tokyo were among those cancelled, as were flights from Mumbai to New York.

Rao said 71 Air India pilots had been fired over the strike in a crackdown to try to force the others back to work during the country’s important May-June tourism season.

The state-run carrier has some 800 pilots on its payroll. “There is concern about passengers and I

negotiate an end the walkout hitting Air India, which is facing problems due to rising fuel prices, competition from low-cost rivals

would like to reiterate that there is no reason to strike,” Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said yesterday. “You want to talk to

NEW DELHI: An Air India Airbus A321 aircraft prepares for landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi yesterday. —AFP and a record of labor disputes.

The government last month cleared a $5.75-billion bailout package to help cash-strapped Air India, which has an $8.3 billion debt. — AFP

us... who has stopped you?” Singh asked the pilots. “ We want to revive Air India and I expect many such hiccups.”

The Indian Pilots’ Guild at the weekend said it was ready to

Australian dollar dips below parity with greenback SYDNEY: The Australian dollar dropped below parity with the greenback yesterday for the first time since December as political turmoil in Greece led traders to sell riskier assets. At 1224 (0224 GMT), the “Aussie” hit 99.99 US cents, down from 100.14 cents at the start of trade, although it recovered to inch back to 100.04 late in the session.

The currency last dipped below parity with the US dollar in December after United States Federal Reserve left interest rates near zero, coupled with concerns about Greece. Analysts said the latest drop was down to investors returning their money to safe-haven currencies amid fears Greece will exit the eurozone.

“This issue in Greece is really weighing on the market at the moment,” Easy Forex senior currency dealer Francisco Solar said.

Emergency talks in Greece to form a coalition government were expected to continue in a bid to avert a repeat ballot after inconclusive elections a week ago.

However, the head of a small moderate leftist party seen as the last hope for a coalition said ahead of the talks that there was no hope of a Greek unity government being formed.

“It’s unprecedented, we really don’t know what the implications of a country being ousted from a monetary union are,” said Solar. “So at the moment markets are pretty jittery.”

Australia’s commodities boom and relatively high interest rates over the past two years saw the Aussie soar past parity, hitting a record of 110.81 cents in July 2011. It only retreated significantly after Japan’s March 11 ear thquake -tsunami and a downgrade of the United States’ debt rating by Standard & Poor’s.

Canberra has previously warned that the Aussie is likely to remain at a high level for years as it comes to be seen as a safe bet amid global turmoil.

But the strong dollar-which first breached parity with the greenback in October 2010 — is squeezing some local industries, with tourism, manufacturing and education exports particularly hard-hit. — AFP

Africa Finance Corp eyeing $3bn deals in a year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani laborers work on scaffolding on a building under construction in Islamabad yesterday. Pakistan has faced persistent economic concerns amid a shaky supply of electricity, a weak revenue base, high external debt and security concerns that have scared off some foreign investors. — AFP

NAIROBI: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a Lagos-based development financier, is considering potential investments worth $3 billion across sub-Saharan Africa over the next year, its chief executive said yesterday. Created in 2007 to help increase muchneeded investments in the key infrastructure, transport and heavy industries sectors in Africa, AFC 46 percent-owned by seven west African states including Nigeria and Ghana - has already invested $500 million in projects worth a total $4 billion from Cape Verde to Zambia. “In our sectors we see a lot of opportunities. We are currently reviewing investments totaling $3 billion across the continent. That is what our pipeline is,” Andrew Alli told Reuters in the Kenyan capital.

“These are projects from Senegal down to Mozambique.

Virtually every country in subSahara Africa has a power deficit so there is obviously quite a lot of opportunity in power.”

Alli said AFC - part of a growing phenomenon of Africans investing in their own continent - also looks for a commercial return on its investments, was looking to conclude the potential deals soon.“It is almost certain that we won’t invest in all of them but we would expect to review them and close them over the course of the next year or so,” he said.

Alli, whose organization invested $50 million in Kenyan cement firm Athi River Mining this year, praised the Kenyan government for policies aimed at encouraging

private investments in the energy sector. “We see potential for electricity investments in Kenya and particularly for renewables, both geothermal and also wind,” Alli said, adding that they were in talks with other firms they could invest in. “We probably are looking to put in total at least another $100-$150 million into Kenya in the next 18 months if things work out correctly.” Other potential investments being evaluated include some in the Nigerian power sector where planned privatizations later this year could open up opportunities, Alli said. AFC is also assessing investment opportunities in Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana and Ivory Coast, where they have already secured approval to fund construction of a tall bridge in Abidjan, Alli

added. “Infrastructure is the skeleton that economic growth generally hangs,” he said.

Alli said the main risks facing investments in Africa include a slowdown in the global economy, which could cut demand for export commodities, and changes in governments that often lead to sudden shifts in policies. “Policy reversals happen quite often.

When a new government comes in they reverse policies that the previous government had put in place and businesses that had reacted to the first set of policies can be left high and dry,” he said. This year’s coups in Mali and Guinea Bissau had also shown the possibility of political turmoil that could affect investments was also lurking in the background, he said. — Reuters

26

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Commercial Facilities Co posts positive Q1 results Net profit reaches KD 4.594m, up 38% KUWAIT: Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) yesterday announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012. Led by strong revenue growth in its core operations, CFC reported a net profit of KD 4.594 million for the first quarter in 2012 compared to KD 3.334 million for the same period in 2011, an increase of 38 per cent.

CFC’s success in the first quarter of 2012 was due to its maintained marketing strategy in financing new and used cars, cash and installment loans, as well as consumer and company loans. In addition, the implementation of the debt collection policy played a vital role in maintaining the company’s assets.

Commenting on the company’s 2012 performance, Abdullah

Saud Al-Humaidhi, Chairman and Managing Director, CFC, said: “CFC’s first quarter results reflects the company’s extremely positive

Abdullah Saud Al-Humaidhi

start of 2012, positioning CFC for the rest of 2012. CFC’s first quarter results are a testimony of the consistent positive performance that we have been able to achieve.”

“In addition to sparing no efforts to generate the highest profits, CFC always strives to apply its strategic plan with optimum precision in order to provide the best services for its customers. The company has been distinguished for its good services and the strong experience of its work team which all had led to our clients’ satisfaction.”

CFC is one of the leading finance companies in Kuwait with strong presence in the market for the past 35 years, thanks to its uniqueness in best serving its clients, quick processing of transactions and remark able

convenience.

Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) was established in 1977 as the first Kuwaiti closed shareholding company with an initial capital of KD 3.8million ($12.7million). It specializes in providing installment credit facilities to finance consumer and commercial products. CFC plays a major role in the development of the financial and consumer goods industry. It is one of the leading companies in offering installment credit facilities, car financing, and personal cash loans. Branching out in strategic locations, CFC has over 200 employees across its five branches and 21 representative offices. CFC’s online service provides customers with a convenient portal to manage their accounts.

Air Arabia launches service to Taif in Saudi KUWAIT: Air Arabia (PJSC), the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, yesterday announced introduction of services to Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from the carrier’s primary hub in Sharjah, UAE. The new service marks Air Arabia’s seventh destination in the Kingdom and 74th worldwide. Beginning June 2, 2012, Air Arabia will offer three weekly flights to Taif, making it easier and convenient for passengers to travel between the two countries. Offering 66 weekly non-stop flights to Saudi Arabia from Sharjah, and its Alexandria hub in Egypt, Air Arabia continues to strengthen its intraregional Arab network offering customers a wider choice for affordable air travel.

Highlighting, in particular, the business opportunities in KSA, Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said “Our new service to Taif validates our commitment to further support growth opportunities that the Saudi Arabian aviation sector offers.

Given the strong economies and the commercial demand for air travel between the two countries, we are confident that the new service will offer our customers a new option for affordable air travel and a great connectivity to the wider MENA region.” On Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, flights will depart Sharjah International Airport at 12:15 arriving at Taif Airport (TIF) at 14:05. Return flights will depart Taif at 14:45 arriving Sharjah at 18:30.

In addition to Taif, Air Arabia operates nonstop flights the Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Dammam, Qassim and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.

Taif, home to over 550,000 residents, is a city in the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia and lies on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains. Taif’s attractions include Shubra palace, rock carving site, Turkish Fort and Wadi Mitna. Air Arabia aircraft cabin interiors are fitted with world-class comfort seats, offering the highest seat pitch of any economy cabin across the globe. The entire Air Arabia fleet consists of the Airbus 320, world’s best ever selling commercial jetliner recognized as the benchmark for single-aisle aircraft.

Shoot and share in style Canon ME unveils IXUS 510 HS and IXUS 240 HS DUBAI: Canon Middle East yesterday added to its premium IXUS range with the launch of two new outstanding touch screen models the IXUS 510 HS and the IXUS 240 HS. Fusing first-class design with Canon’s signature image quality and new Wi-Fi functionality, both models make it easier than ever to shoot photos and Full HD movies in exceptional detail and share them instantly with friends and family. Combining a high quality and compact 12x optical zoom with a highly-pocketable, luxurious

and chic design, the IXUS 510 HS is the perfect take anywhere camera for style-conscious users, while the IXUS 240 HS’s slim and elegant design and fun functionality are ideal for shooting and sharing images, anytime and anywhere.

Quality meets design Canon’s advanced imaging technology ensures superb results, no matter the subject being shot or the conditions. Both models feature cutting-edge genuine Canon lens technology, enabling the capture of sweeping vistas or distant detail with the powerful zooms in

each camera. The IXUS 510 HS’s impressive 28mm wide-angle 12x optical zoom lens packs into a body measuring just 19.8 mm front-to-back, while the IXUS 240 HS’s 24mm ultra-wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens comes in a highgrade, super-slim body - offering exceptional quality and versatility.

Canon’s ZoomPlus technology means users can extend the zoom of their camera and get even closer to the action, while maintaining higher quality than traditional digital zoom. With ZoomPlus, the IXUS

application, users can also share photos via email, upload them to Facebook with their own comments, or even upload movies to YouTube(tm).

510 HS’ zoom extends beyond its 12x optical zoom to 21x, while the IXUS 240 HS reaches past its 5x optical zoom to 10x.

Point and shoot creativity For those who like to point and shoot for excellent images, Canon’s latest Smart Auto mode now identifies up to 58 different scenes.

The new Face Identification (Face ID) functionality included within Smart Auto enables users to get the best possible shots of friends and family, making it easy to capture tricky subjects with new levels of clarity. Face ID allows users to register family faces and their birthdays within the camera, it then stores this information, and with Smart Auto adjusts image settings accordingly. For example, when taking a picture of a sleeping baby, Face ID will identify the subject, automatically disengage the flash and adjust the exposure to give the image a brighter feel. If a child over the age of two is identified, the camera will automatically engage Servo AF in anticipation of movement, enabling sharper pictures of children that are often difficult to capture. Users can even browse their photos in-camera by name, so images of their friends and family can be easily and quickly searched and reviewed.

Sharing made easy With the new models, users can instantly share their favourite images and movies, whenever and wherever they may be thanks to new integrated Wi-Fi connectivity2. The new CameraWindow application allows photos and movies to be wirelessly transferred directly to a range of Apple iOS3 mobile devices for instant sharing on the move. Using the same

High resolution stills In addition to exceptional stills, the new IXUS 510 HS and IXUS 240 HS feature Full HD (1080p) movie recording with stereo sound. A dedicated movie record button enables instant switching from stills to movies, while optical zoom can also be utilised in both cameras in movies. Integrated HDMI connectivity also enables sharing with friends and family

using HD TV screens. To help tell the story behind a day’s images, Movie Digest mode captures four seconds of movie before each still shot is taken and then merges all the clips together in HD (720p) quality for a fun reminder of the day’s events.

The IXUS 510 HS: Seriously compact As well as offering stand-out image quality, the IXUS 510 HS takes IXUS style to a new high.

With a 10.1MP high-sensitivity CMOS sensor and exceptional 12x optical zoom, users can enjoy the flexibility to capture a range of subjects in exceptional quality, and then share images instantly using the integrated Wi-Fi connectivity. Revisiting the classic style of the original IXUS design, the IXUS 510 HS’s sleek, sharp-edged exterior truly epitomises the IXUS luxury design philosophy, offering a stylish, compact body that can be taken anywhere. The futuristic lens cover and brushed matte finish, available in striking black or white, also adds to the premium styling.

The IXUS 240 HS: Exceptional style and ease-of-use Combining advanced features with effortless functionality, the IXUS 240 HS is perfect for anyone looking for a camera that fuses style with substance. Its 16.1 MP resolution offers exceptional detail, while its ultra-wide angle 24mm 5x optical zoom genuine Canon lens offers great flexibility that can be carried in virtually any pocket. Available in five contemporary metallic colours so users can pick a style to match their personality, the IXUS 240 HS is ideal for social shooting, such as holidays or evenings out with friends allowing high quality images to be shared immediately after they are taken.

Shell shedding light on leadership development model KUWAIT: Stephan Scholz, Shell’s Vice President - Human Resources for Middle East and North Africa outlined Shell’s approach to leadership development models and transition over the past decade. Mr. Scholz was speaking yesterday at the Kuwait Oil Company’s third Sharing Best Practices Conference which took place from 13th to 14th of May 2012.

As the world becomes more uncertain

with significant emerging economies, future leaders will need to equip themselves with a number of leadership competences and skills to enable them to deliver their vision. Scholz reflected on the current global environment and shared Shell leadership development model in his key note speech, and said: “Shell operates in a complex, fast-paced and networked world. Managing the global operational footprint, increasing number of Joint Ventures, and rising energy demand presents new types of challenges for leaders. The new Shell

Leadership model provides a focus on the leadership qualities needed for the future. The qualities are defined by four key attributes starting with “Authenticity” to inspire professionalism and resilience, “Growth” to ensure leaders capture opportunities to generate value to the organization, “Collaboration” to build strong partnerships and “Performance” to deliver extraordinary business outcomes by investing in people so that teams are fit for the future.”

Ahmad Atallah, Chairman and Managing Director for Shell Companies in Kuwait, commented on the sidelines of the conference by saying: “Working with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its subsidiaries, we both get the opportunity to share ways of working and best practices through our ongoing interactions. The Shell Leadership Model and Attributes ensure that Shell experts working with Kuwait will contribute effectively to building a sustainable energy future through their drive to perform and deliver, while inspiring the young Kuwaiti engineers to adopt global professional standards that focus on the leadership attributes.” “I believe that there is a leader in each one of us and through personal involvement, senior leaders will develop future leaders and nurture the attributes that are critical to a successful energy future”.

The Sharing Best Practices Conference, which was being hosted by KOC for the third successive year, provides an ideal platform for oil and gas industry operators to meet and discuss issues and to help understand the challenges and progress made in operating in unique environments that routinely face the oil and gas sector in the Middle East.

ABK makes travel exciting with MasterCard KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with MasterCard is proud to announce an exciting travel promotion.

ABK Emirates MasterCard credit cardholders have a chance to win two business class tickets from Emirates airlines to a destination of their choice every week, or win a daily prize of up to $750. The promotion is running until the 13th June Stewart Lockie 2012.

All ABK Emirates MasterCard credit cardholders have to do to win is to book their Emirates airlines flights online using an ABK Emirates MasterCard to gain instant entry into the daily and weekly draws.

Stewart Lockie, General Manager of the Retail Banking Division commented on the promotion “ABK is extremely pleased to again deliver a great promotion through our par tnership with MasterCard. Not only will our cardholders benefit from free miles when using their ABK Emirates MasterCard, but they will also be entered into a daily and weekly draw to win up to $750 plus the chance to win 2 business class return tickets to their destination of choice.” So go ahead and book your Emirates airlines flights online using your ABK Emirates MasterCard, and be a part of this amazing travel promotion. For more details, and to apply, please visit any ABK branch or call Ahlan Ahli 1899 899. You can also chat live with ABK’s customer service representative on Ahli Chat at www.eahli.com

Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive extends the ground shaking offer KUWAIT: Due to the great success of the Trade-in Campaign, Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive is pleased to announce the extension of their valuable offer giving further chances to customers to benefit from the ground shaking offer whereby they can Trade-in their car, regardless of the make or model, for a brand new Chevrolet car and get the best trade-in value the market has to offer. In addition, customers can also benefit from an additional KD 600

offered over and above the trade in value. Every vehicle in the Chevrolet range offers a unique blend of features to fit the needs, tastes and desires of all consumers from performance, space, safety, design and comfort.

The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse is a car for every family. Powered by a 3.6L, V6 engine generating 281 HP, the Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped crossover with seating for 8 passengers. The

Chevrolet Traverse is also equipped with a 360 safety system earning a 5star safety rating. Speed-loving adrenaline seekers need not look further than the stunning 2012 Chevrolet Camaro available in two engine variants, a powerful 6.2L V8 pumping out 426 hp and an impressive 3.6L direct Injection V6 engine sporting a 6-speed automatic transmission pumping out an amazing 323 hp.

For those seeking a dependable

and heavy-duty vehicle, there’s nothing that can beat the power ful Silverado pickup, the multi-purpose and feature-loaded Tahoe SUV, the dynamic Sonic, or the stylish Captiva.

If you prefer a sporty yet elegant car, the Cruze brings alluring options including style, power and performance with a coupe-style exterior and a spacious world-class interior, powered by a 1.8 L, 4 cylinder engine that generates 140 HP

Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive adds the finishing touches to the ownership experience with high-quality aftersales services. With the world’s biggest and most advanced automotive service center, customers need not worry about their service and maintenance needs. To find the vehicle that will perfectly suit your world, visit Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive showrooms and benefit from the ground shaking offer.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Fewer women in top US tech jobs since 2010: Survey NEW YORK: The number of women in senior technology positions at US companies is down for the second year in a row, according to a survey published yesterday.

Nine percent of US chief information officers (CIOs) are female, down from 11 percent last year and 12 percent in 2010, according to the survey by the US arm of British technology outsourcing and recruitment company Harvey Nash Group.

About 30 percent of those polled said their information technology (IT) organization has no women at all in management. Yet only about half of survey respondents consider women to be under-represented in the IT department.

Although women have reached senior positions at Facebook, Xerox, IBM, Oracle and other large companies, they are absent at the top of many IT departments.

That makes it hard to draw others to sen-

ior roles. “Less and less women are attracted into that space so you wind up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Anna Frazzetto, senior vice president of international technology solutions, at Harvey Nash USA. “It’s not a very welcoming arena to be in.”

Women also face the “preconceived notion” that they are focused on other priorities like starting a family. That bias is damaging to IT departments because

many struggle to find qualified workers.

The survey, conducted with TelecityGroup, included responses from 450 US technology leaders. It is part of a wider, global survey that found increasing tech budgets and more visible roles for CIOs. A majority of those surveyed said their organization is facing a skills shortage in areas such as business analysis and project management. “The skills shortage is

the biggest it’s ever been, and it’s going to cause companies to get a little more creative in shifting the culture of organizations,” Frazzetto said.

That shift is already taking place at small companies, but large ones have yet to change their culture, she said. While the US average of 9 percent female CIOs has declined, it is actually triple the global average of 3 percent, Harvey Nash found. — Reuters

Kaspersky concludes first IT government security summit

By Islam Al-Shara

SEOUL: In this Jan. 10, 2012 file photo, a model poses with Canon’s new digital camera Power Shot G1 X during its unveiling ceremony in Seoul, South Korea. Japan’s Canon Inc. is moving toward fully automating digital camera production in an effort to cut costs. Jun Misumi, company spokesman, said yesterday, the move to totally rely on robots and have no human workers will likely be completed in the next few years. — AP

Canon eyes robot-only production for cameras TOKYO: Canon Inc. is moving toward fully automating digital camera production in an effort to cut costs - a key change being played out across Japan, a world leader in robotics. If successful, counting on machines can help preserve this nation’s technological power - not the stereotype of machines snatching assembly line jobs from workers, Jun Misumi - company spokesman, said yesterday.

The move toward machine-only production will likely be completed in the next few years, perhaps as soon as 2015, said Misumi, although he declined to give specific dates.

Japanese manufacturers have been moving production abroad recently to offset the earnings damage from the soaring yen.

And fears are growing about a hollowing-out of Japan Inc. as jobs move to China, India and the rest of Asia, where labor costs are cheaper. Misumi was adamant that jobs won’t be cut at Canon. “When machines become more sophisticated, human beings can be transferred to do new kinds of work,” he said.

Toyota Motor Corp. is also working on beefing up automated production not only to cut costs but achieve better quality. In a recent plant tour for reporters, Toyota showed how welding got much faster and more precise through instantaneous laserwelding. Toyota used that technology to make Lexus luxury models move and withstand sharp turns better.

Despite growing pressure from the high yen, Toyota is innovating production efficiency to keep annual Japan production at 3 million vehicles, about a third of its global production, by reducing costs through

boosting robotics use.

Akihito Sano, professor at Nagoya Institute of Technology, said Japan needs to do more to fine-tune its sophisticated technology so robotics can become more practical, and was doing some soul-searching lately about practical applications.

Japan has tended to focus on research and come up with razzle-dazzle humanoids and then get been beaten in simple but practical products like the Roomba vacuum cleaner by iRobot Corp. of the United States, he said.

Honda Motor Co.’s walking and talking Asimo human-shaped robot comes with voice recognition, pours juice into a cup and can run around on two legs. But, unlike Roomba, it has yet to enter a real living room to do actual vacuuming and it merely plays mascot at events. Since the late 1990s, like other manufacturers, Canon began using the “cell” production method, in which a team of workers or one worker puts together a major part, rather than doing a simple task over and over.

In recent years, robots have become so much a part of this cell production, Canon calls it “man-machine cell.” Eventually, human involvement will be phased out in making some products, according to Canon.

In the US, Amazon.com Inc. is buying Kiva Systems, which makes robots and software to help companies fulfill orders, for $775 million. Amazon has been using automation at its order fulfillment centers for some time. But Kiva’s technology is designed to lower costs and will be used to help workers pick and pack books. — AP

KUWAIT: Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, announced yesterday that it has successfully concluded its first IT Government Security Summit, under the support of the Central Agency of Information Technology (CAIT ) of Kuwait. The event was held yesterday at the CAIT premises, and was attended by prominent representatives of the majority of the Kuwaiti governmental bodies.

Kaspersky Lab executive committee attended the event, accompanied by a senior delegation of analysts and senior executives.

Stefan Tanase, Senior Security Researcher, EEMEA, Global Research & Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab, tracked the evolution of the main tendencies in the field of cybercriminal activity, and evaluated the key incidents of 2011. Tanase also shared his projections for 2012 and beyond, based in the particular interests, capabilities and limitations of the main players in cyberspace.

Khalid Abu Baker, Corporate Sales Manager, Kaspersky Lab Middle East and Turkey, shared Kaspersky Lab’s experience and learnings from the Middle East region, and discussed with the attendance of the conference how to build an efficient IT security environment, and the importance of having a secure IT infrastructure to establish a successful business.

Furthermore, how can organizations overcome the IT security challenges especially with the increasingly complex endpoint environments comprised of various devices, platforms and operating systems.

Tarek Kuzbari, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab Middle East and Turkey said commenting on this event, “We are very proud that we are holding our first Kaspersky IT Government Security Conference in Kuwait, and we are thankful for the hospitality of the Central Agency of Information Technology. This is indeed an honor for us to be here today, to share our international and reliable security expertise and knowledge.”

“With 864% growth in five years, Kaspersky Lab was recognized as one of the 500 fastest growing technology companies from 24 EMEA countries based on five-year average percentage revenue growth. This milestone is a testimony of its success, showing the strength of Kaspersky Lab’s products and solutions, and positioning it as a trust-worthy partner across governments and business in the Middle East region,” he continued saying.

Kuwait Times spoke with Stefan Tanase, Senior Security Researcher, EEMEA, Global Research & Analysis Team.

Kuwait Times: How many new viruses are detected on a daily basis?

Cross section view of the audience. — Photos by Joseph Shagra Stefan Tanase: We’re currently seeing one new virus every second, which equates to around 70,000 new viruses every day. It fluctuates; one day we may see 100,000 and on another we may see 50,000 but the average is 70,000 per day.

KT: How has the local threat landscape changed over the last decade?

Tanase: The main change that I noticed in the Middle East is that, compared to other regions in the world, people are faster to adopt new technology. This is probably because some in the region are more likely to be able to afford newer technologies. This means that operating systems here tend to be more updated, with the most popular being the Windows 7x64, whereas in other parts of the works it’s windows XP. At the same time, however, people still don’t understand how important updating is.

The most common vulnerability in Kuwait, for example, is that almost 1 out of every 2 computers are running a vulnerable version of dlc media player, which is a free application, so there is no excuse not to upload the new version. Some people just don’t know that they should. Some part of the share of the guilt is on the side of developers, who don’t always make it easy to update.

KT: What are the biggest threat affecting internet banking systems?

Tanase: There is a fight going on between two malware families: Zeus and SpyEye. Zeus’s source code has been published, which means people can creates modifications of Zeus using the code.

They’re also moving their variants to infect mobile phones as many banks are now moving their services to mobile.

KT: What about targeted attacks?

Tanase: With targeted attacks, it’s usually very hard to find out information because most of the victims don’t share much information or make it public, because nobody

Khalid Abu Baker (left), Corporate Sales Manager, Kaspersky Lab Middle East and Turkey with Stefan Tanase, Senior Security Researcher, EEMEA, Global Research & Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab during the conference.

Nancy Assaad presenting a memento to Abdullatief Suraie Al-Suraie, Manager of Coordination & follow-up Department with the Central Agency of Information Technology in Kuwait. wants to be known as a victim of a in organizations. They see hundreds targeted attack, so cases where of emails a day, and are in the habit information is revealed to the public of opening attachments automatiare very rare. Many don’t reveal what cally. Now, however, as people are happened and others don’t even starting to learn more about this know that they’ve been targeted: issue, I’m sure that attackers will targeted attacks can go on for years change their method and use other without the company ever realizing options such as instant messaging, what’s happened, so it’s very hard to for example by using Skype as an get information about it. From the attack option as many companies information we have on the issue, use Skype as an internal voice over targeted attacks usually come in the IP. Facebook messages may also be form of an email with an attached used. Anything that is being used to document, which is the most com- replace email may be used, including mon way to attack people working mobile phone usage.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg turns 28 NEW YORK: He famously wears a hoodie, jeans and sneakers, and he was born the year Apple introduced the Macintosh. But Mark Zuckerberg is no boy-CEO. Facebook’s chief executive turned 28 yesterday, setting in motion the social network’s biggest week ever. The company is expected to start selling stock to the public for the first time and begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on Friday. The IPO could value Facebook at nearly $100 billion, making it worth more than such iconic companies as Disney, Ford and Kraft Foods.

At 28, Zuckerberg is exactly half the age of the average S&P 500 CEO, according to executive search firm Spencer Stuart. With eight years on the job, he’s logged more time as leader than the average CEO, whose tenure is a little more than seven years, according to Spencer Stuart.

Even so, the pressures of running a public company will undoubtedly take some getting used to.

Once Facebook begins selling stock, Zuckerberg will be expected to please a host of new stakeholders, including Wall Street investment firms, hedge funds and pension funds who will pressure him to keep the company growing.

Young as he may seem - especially in that hooded sweatshirt - Zuckerberg will be about the same age as Michael Dell and older than Steve Jobs when those two took their companies, Dell Inc. and Apple Inc., public. In his years as Facebook’s CEO he’s met world leaders, rode a bull in Vietnam while on vacation, started learning

Mandarin Chinese and as a personal challenge, wore a tie for the better part of a year.

Facebook, of course, got its start in Zuckerberg’s messy Harvard dorm room in early 2004. Known as Thefacebook.com in those days, the site was created to help Harvard students - and later other college students - connect with one another online. The scrappy website later grew to include high-schoolers, then anyone else with an Internet connection. Today more than 900 million people log in at least once a month, making Facebook the world’s definitive social network.

All along, Zuckerberg has shown a maturity beyond his years. As the site grew rapidly and caught the eye of big media and rival Internet companies, Zuckerberg consistently rebuffed mouth-watering buyout offers, including those from Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. “Simply put: we don’t build services to make money; we make money to build better services,” Zuckerberg wrote in his letter to prospective shareholders. “And we think this is a good way to build something. These days I think more and more people want to use services from companies that believe in something beyond simply maximizing profits.”

People who’ve observed Zuckerberg closely say his age is an asset. His is the generation that grew up with social networking, with computers all around them and the Internet as something that’s always existed. Many of his employees are younger

than him, as are a lot of the up-and-coming technology entrepreneurs with whom he competes. “I don’t think you could build a company like this if you were an old guy like me,” says David Kirkpatrick, a 59-year-old author who chronicled the company’s early history in “The Facebook Effect.”

Kirkpatrick, who is also founder of Techonomy, a media company that hosts conferences on the relationship between technology and economy and social progress, first met Zuckerberg six years ago. He says he was impressed with his vision, even then.

“It’s the willingness to take risks, the willingness to abide by a very contemporary vision ... I don’t think that he’s too young. I think most CEOs are too old.” Zuckerberg, who lives in Palo Alto, Calif. with his girlfriend and a white Hungarian Puli dog named Beast, has matured as a leader with the help of experienced mentors.

One of his closest advisers is Sheryl Sandberg, whom he hired away from Google in 2008.

Zuckerberg, known for sometimes-awkward public appearances, realized that the razor-sharp, people -savvy advertising executive complements his own shortcomings. Sandberg is Zuckerberg’s No. 2, the chief operating officer who oversees advertising and often serves as Facebook’s smiling, public face.

Then there’s Donald Graham, the 66-year-old CEO and chairman of The Washington Post Co.,

who serves as a mentor to Zuckerberg and holds a seat on Facebook’s board of directors. Rebecca Lieb, analyst at the Altimeter Group, says Zuckerberg has assembled a team of “truly exceptional lieutenants.” David Ebersman, Facebook’s chief financial officer, who hails from biotech firm Genentech, is another example. Zuckerberg hired him in 2009, saying that Ebersman’s previous job, helping to scale the finance organization of the fast-growing biotech company “will be important to Facebook.”

He was right. Facebook’s revenue grew from $777 million in 2009 to $3.7 billion last year. In the first quarter of 2012 it was more than $1 billion.

Even so, Zuckerberg still has a lot to learn. As part of Facebook’s pre-IPO “road show” last week, Zuckerberg visited several venerable East Coast financial institutions wearing his signature hoodie.

While Silicon Valley insiders defended his fashion choice, others saw it as a sign of immaturity. Was it, as some speculated, a sign of a rebellious 20something acting out?

For Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Securities, Zuckerberg’s attitude and attire symbolizes “a level of aloofness to stakeholders.” “He seems very customer focused and very employee focused. I am not sure he cares about anyone else. ... If he’s going to go public, he has to answer to shareholders,” Pachter says. “That’s why Google hired Eric Schmidt. That’s why Steve Jobs was ultimately forced out of Apple.” — AP

Mark Zuckerberg

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Measles kills 12 children in Pakistan tribal area MIRANSHAH: A measles outbreak has killed 12 children in one of Pakistan’s lawless tribal districts and is spreading as fighting, power cuts and curfews cause a vaccine shortage, doctors said yesterday.

Nor th Waziristan, a restive and deeply poor area bordering Afghanistan, is Pakistan’s most notorious Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold, hit frequently by US drone strikes targeting Islamist militants.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering

UK regulator rapped over breast implant scandal LONDON: Britain’s healthcare regulator has “serious lessons” to learn from the PIP breast implant scandal, according to a government review published yesterday. The review was commissioned after the discovery that for up to a decade hundreds of thousands of women around the world, including 47,000 in Britain, had received substandard silicone breast implants manufactured by France’s Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).

Although the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) followed sound scientific advice, the review said, it should in future do more to obtain evidence from a wider range of sources, including detailed data from clinicians.

This would make it better placed to take robust action and communicate more clearly with both affected individuals and the wider public. The PIP case involved deliberate fraud, which regulation alone could not have prevented, said health minister Lord Howe.

“But serious lessons must be learned from this scandal. The MHRA needs to look at how it gathers evidence so it is able to identify problems early,” Howe said. “It needs to better analyse reports about higher risk medical devices. And it needs to improve the way it communicates with the public.”

MHRA Chief Executive Kent Woods, who earlier this year said the PIP case should not prompt a knee-jerk reaction, said his agency would “act quickly” to implement Howe’s recommendations and improve the regulatory system for medical devices.

A second review by Bruce Keogh, the medical director of the National Health Service, is currently looking at the wider question of regulation for cosmetic procedures, which might include a breast implant registry to monitor for any problems. The European Union’s health and consumer affairs commissioner John Dalli said in February that EU governments should strengthen safety controls on high-risk medical devices by using spot checks on products and manufacturing facilities.

France’s health authorities have also called for tighter controls after a near two-year investigation into PIP, which has now gone out of business. More than 500,000 medical devices are sold in the EU, ranging from bandages, dentures and wheelchairs to pacemakers and implants. They are regulated under the Conformite Europeenne, or “CE mark”, system.

Major makers of medical devices include Johnson & Johnson , Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott , Allergan and Smith & Nephew. — Reuters

from measles,” said doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah, the area’s biggest town.

He would normally see only one or two deaths a year from the disease, he said. But another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles in the last three weeks, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital. The UN children’s agency UNICEF said there had been 143 measles alerts this year in Pak istan’s seven- district, semiautonomous tribal belt.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can be fatal, but can easily be prevented by proper immunisation.

However Shah said: “We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

Poverty and poor transport facilities mean villagers in the rugged, mountainous areas cannot come to hospitals for treatment, he added, while military operations and unrest mean vaccination teams cannot reach them.

“There is accumulation of significant number of unvaccinated children in different parts of this region which are revealing as outbreaks or alerts over time to time,” said doctor Quamrul Hasan of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO and local health officials are to carry out a supplementary campaign in the tribal areas aimed at vaccinating more than a million children aged under 10 by the end of June, he said. Polio vaccination campaigns in tribal areas have in the past suffered because of rumours-sometimes spread

by radio stations or from mosque loudspeakers-they were a Western conspiracy to sterilise children to reduce the Muslim population.

But UNICEF said work had been done to tackle misconceptions and there was less suspicion of the measles vaccine, administered by injection, than of the orally-administered polio dose.

Nearly 140,000 people died of measles worldwide in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation — 95 percent in low income countries with poor health infrastructure. —AFP

Botswana makes new pitch for circumcision in AIDS fight Botswana has no tradition of circumcision MOLEPOLOLE: “Should I, shouldn’t I?” That’s the question that 31-year-old Kabo Moeti ponders as he waits outside a clinic in a Botswana village, where he’s considering getting circumcised. “I am so afraid and confused. What if something goes wrong, what if my sexual life is negatively affected?” he said in his village of Molepolole, outside the capital Gaborone.

Studies show that circumcision can reduce a man’s risk of HIV infection by 60 percent, making it one of the most effective ways of preventing AIDS in a country like Botswana where one quarter of adults carry the virus.

Southern Africa is the region hardest hit by AIDS. Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe have launched national circumcision drives, and South Africa is also urging men to undergo the procedure with giant roadside billboards. But all the countries are lagging far behind their targets.

Three years ago Botswana launched a campaign to convince 460,000 menabout one quarter of the national population-to cut off their foreskins. So far, the country has reached only seven percent of this figure.

Now the government has enlisted the help of top musicians and launched a new series of advertisements touting “safe male circumcision” as a lifeline. “The greatest challenge that we have is the fear of pain amongst men, hence we are having a low turn-out,” said the campaign’s coordinator Conrad Ntsuape.

“Most men seem to think the pain from the procedure might take long to heal and force them to stay away from school or work for long but we are still intensifying our education campaign,” he

told AFP. Moeti shares many of those fears, and worries his sex life will suffer.

“The adverts for safe male circumcision campaign are all over and hard to ignore

and so are the said benefits,” said Moeti, a security guard. “But I do hope this will not affect my sexual life as some people say one gets more safe but suffers sexu-

GABORONE: A picture taken on March 17, 2012 shows a mobile board campaigning for male circumcision parked in a public area in Gaborone.

Studies have shown that circumcision can reduce a man’s risk of HIV infection by 60 percent, making it one of the most effective ways of preventing AIDS, especially in a country like Botswana where one quarter of adults carry the virus. — AFP

ally.” Botswana has no tradition of circumcision, giving the government a tough sales pitch-even for a procedure done with local anesthetic, taking only a few minutes and requiring only a few days recovery.

For 22-year-old Tebogo Moilwa, a University of Botswana engineering student, popular musician Odirile Vee Sento served as an inspiration. “If people like him have the courage to tell the world that they are circumcised and have the belief that it’s a protective measure, who am I to think otherwise?” he said.

The local artist teamed up with Zimbabwean star Oliver Mtukudzi to compose a song in English for the circumcision campaign that is being broadcast across southern Africa.

Sento said he hopes the message gets through to as many as men as possible.

“We have gone through difficult times as a nation in as far as HIV/AIDS is concerned,” he said. “There was a time when every weekend was just nothing but funerals due to deaths related to the pandemic, and I therefore hope that this campaign will be taken seriously by each and every HIV negative man,” Sento said.

Health economist Alan Whiteside of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in neighbouring South Africa said many countries across the region were experiencing similar problems as Botswana.

“The problem is not so much that people don’t want to embrace circumcision, it is because sometimes the programmes are implemented without the necessary ground work and community participation,” Whiteside said. In the end, Moeti decided to take the plunge.

Botswana hopes more than 400,000 others will follow. — AFP

French drugmaker on trial Surf’s up in the fitness studio over weight-loss pill NANTERRE: French drugmaker Servier and its founder went on trial yesterday accused of misleading patients and authorities about a diabetes drug often prescribed for weight loss that officials blame for at least 500 deaths.

The case, one of France’s worst health scandals, has put authorities under scrutiny for allowing the sale of Mediator long after the medicine had been pulled in other European countries. Although licensed as a diabetes treatment, the drug was widely prescribed, with a state sub-

sidy, as an appetite suppressant to help people lose weight.

It is now suspected of causing heart valve disorders and was withdrawn in France in November 2009, around a decade after being pulled in Spain, Italy and the United States.

Several hundred civil plaintiffs who have joined the criminal case argue that Servier intentionally misled doctors about the drug, even though the dangers had been known since the 1990s. State health inspectors also say the drug should have been withdrawn in France a decade earlier, and

the plaintiffs are seeking damages and interest of 100,000 euros ($129,000) each. “Servier let people use a toxic product for years. There is no debate about it,” said Charles Joseph Oudin, one of the presumed victims’ lawyers.

The focus of the Nanterre trial is on whether Servier made misleading claims, while a second, broader trial in Paris is due much later after an investigation that will examine allegations of manslaughter and corruption. The defendants in Nanterre deny the allegations against them

PARIS: Files of the so called Mediator case, a drug linked to hundreds of deaths made by French pharmaceutical maker Les Laboratoires Servierare pictured on a desk yesterday in a courtroom of the Nanterre’s family court, outside Paris on the opening day of the trial. — AFP

and are seeking to stop the trial on grounds that they should not be tried in two separate cases. Servier’s founder and president, 90-year-old Jacques Servier, and four other executives risk custodial sentences of up to four years plus fines. The privatelyowned Servier and its subsidiary Biopharma also face fines and the possibility of being banned from some activities.

Mediator - designed as an add-on treatment for diabetes patients who were overweight - was sold to as many as 5 million people in France between 1976 and November 2009.

However, many of those were not diabetics but simply seeking help to lose weight. The offices of the Afssaps healthcare regulator were searched by investigators in February in connection with the case. Concerns about the agency whose head resigned over the case have grown following a scandal over defective breast implants manufactured by the now-bankrupt French company PIP. The Mediator case has also drawn attention to pharmaceutical companies’ influence in France’s public health system as well as their sway over politicians. It has also triggered a push at European Union level to step up monitoring of drug safety.

According to the health ministry, at least 500 people died of heart valve trouble in France because of exposure to Mediator’s active ingredient, benfluorex. Other estimates based on extrapolations put the death toll closer to 2,000.

Less than a year before the drug was pulled, Servier was awarded France’s national merit medal, the Legion d’Honneur, by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had previously served as his lawyer. — Reuters

NEW YORK: Spun out on spinning? Bored in barre class? Group fitness gadflies can rejoice. Indoor surfing is a new workout, born of the sea but carving out a place in the center of town.

“It’s actually harder than surfing,” Sarah Ponn, co-founder and fitness director of SurfSET Fitness, said of the class, which claims to squeeze about three hours’ worth of surfing-based movement into the 45-minute indoor workout. “Our primary goal is fitness,” she said. “We burn a lot of calories. There’s a lot of paddling, a lot of standing on an unstable board.

It’s very athletic.”

The class revolves around a piece of equipment called the RipSurfer X, which was developed by SurfSET’s CEO Mike Hartwick, as a way to stay fit after he retired from professional hockey in 2010.

“A surfboard, a real one, is mounted on an unstable surface of inflatable bladders. It moves based on where you place your weight,” Ponn explained. “It’s like being on water. (In surfing) if you step down with your right foot it will displace the water. Here it’s not water, it’s air.”

The class is sequenced like a surfing session on the sea, even as it draws from many disciplines, from interval training to resistance training to Pilates. “We do what you would do during a surf session,” Ponn said.

The warm up is an intense cardio interval that mimics a sea surfer’s paddling out to beyond the break. Then the abdominal work kicks in.

“We incorporate a lot of core strength training,” Ponn said. “Then we move into sprint segment.”

Woven into the workout are indoor versions of such surf staples as duck dives, pushing under a wave, and pop ups, going from lying to standing on the board in one jump. Ponn said a session can burn up to 1,000 calories. It also cultivates the traditionally long, lean, well-defined surfer-type body.

“It’s not a body builder mentality,” Ponn said. “It’s not about bulking up.”

For months the class has been popping up temporarily in venues around New York City, Los Angeles, Atlantic City, New Jersey and the Hamptons. A flagship studio is set to open in New York in September.

Florida-based fitness and wellness expert Shirley Archer thinks SurfSET is particularly suitable for sports enthusiasts, especially surfers, seeking a fun and different total body workout.

“It challenges balance, endurance, upper, lower and core body muscles, and co-ordination,” said Archer, who is a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, after observing a session on the company’s website.

She cautions that the risk-averse, the beginning exerciser, or the injury-impaired might want to look elsewhere.

“The exercises-duck dips, deep squats, etc.-are fairly challenging and may be too difficult for people who need to move more slowly and with smaller ranges of motion,” said Archer, who is impressed by the apparatus and the creativity of the workout.

Ponn said the company is developing a class for older people. A home version of the RipSurfer X is also in the works.

“The machine is highly adjustable,” she explained. “You can tighten it down so that it barely moves.”

The only counter-indication she mentioned was pregnancy. “You can’t lie on your stomach and paddle when you’re pregnant,” she said.

“It’s kind of sad.” — Reuters

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

H E A LT H

Economists list cheapest ways to save the world COPENHAGEN: Leading economists have ranked how to best and most costeffectively invest to solve many of the world’s seemingly insurmountable problems, a Danish think-tank said yesterday, calling for a shift in global priorities.

“It may not sound sexy, but solving the problems of diarrhoea, worms and malnutrition will do good for more of the world’s poor than other more grandiose interventions,” Bjoern Lomborg, who heads the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, said in a statement.

His think-tank yesterday presented the results of its third global Copenhagen Consensus, in which it asked prominent economists working within 10 of the world’s top problem

fields to propose the best investments to fix those problems.

A panel of experts, including four Nobel laureates, then went through the proposals and ranked the ones they believed would have the biggest impact and “where we can get the most mileage for our money,” Lomborg told AFP. The Dane, who shot to fame with his book “The Skeptical Environmentalist” in 2001, insisted the list was necessary since policymakers and humanitarian organisations often allow irrational emotions to dictate how they spend money earmarked for fighting poverty, declining biodiversity or natural disasters.

He pointed out that focussing on creating nature reserves and making large

swathes of forest off-limit to development was “a nice idea, but the problem is that it often doesn’t happen.” Instead, the Copenhagen Consensus economists proposed investing heavily in agricultural research and development to make food production more efficient, which they said would reduce world hunger and also protect biodiversity “by reducing the need for forest land to be converted into agricultural land.”

Lomborg, who adamantly rejects the climate change-denier label sometimes thrown at him, also criticised the heavy focus on curbing carbon dioxide emissions in the battle against global warming.

While such efforts could make “a little

difference,” Lomborg said they are often not followed through. “There are smarter ways to tackle this, for instance by investing in research and development on green energy, or looking into geoengineering,” he said. “It’s really just about focusing on what works rather than on what feels good,” he said, adding that especially in light of the economic crisis, “it has become very clear that we need to spend our money in the best possible way.”

The Copenhagen Consensus economists were asked how the world should best spend $75 billion (58 billion euros) over a four-year period, which Lomborg says is only 15 percent more than the global aid spending today. Malnutrition

topped the list of 10 proposals, with the expert panel suggesting annual spending of $3.0 billion to solve the problem that affects more than 100 million children worldwide, stressing that “each dollar spent reducing chronic under-nutrition has more than a $30-pay-off”.

This was because better nutrition improves cognitive functions and thereby also an individual’s education and income prospects as well, they said. The economists also proposed investing around $1.0 billion annually in early warning systems for natural disasters, which Lomborg said was a far better way to spend money than to throw most resources into the clean-up after the disaster. — AFP

Two thirds of deaths in the world not registered: WHO WHO to publish ‘snapshot of global health’

SYDNEY: Chandra Bahadur Dangi, the 72-year-old Nepali crowned the “world’s shortest man” by Guinness World Records is carried as he arrives at Sydney International Airport for a week of promotional engagements, on May 13. Dangi, from a remote valley in southwestern Nepal, stands just 54.6 centimetres (21.5 inches) tall. — AFP

Diabetes care in ‘state of crisis’ LONDON: Diabetes care in England is in a “state of crisis” with less than half of people with the condition getting the basic minimum care, a report warns yesterday.

According to the “State of the Nation 2012 report”, published by Diabetes UK, a major charity, there are some areas where just 6 percent of people with diabetes are getting the regular checks and services recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

The report details how not getting these checks has helped fuel a rise in rates of diabetes-related complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney failure and stroke. These complications account for about 80 percent of the health authorities spending on diabetes and are one of the main reasons that treating diabetes costs about 10 percent of the entire state-funded the National Health Service (NHS) budget, Diabetes UK said.

The report also shows that a National Service Framework for diabetes - setting out the healthcare which diabetes patients should get - has been in place for

11 years but has not become a reality.

Diabetes UK is calling on the Government to urgently deliver a plan to implement these standards. Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said “We already know that diabetes is costing the NHS a colossal amount of money, but this report shows how in exchange for this investment we are getting second rate healthcare that is putting people with diabetes at increased risk of tragic complications and early death. “Whether showing the number of children with Type 1 diabetes who are only diagnosed at accident and emergency or highlighting the thousands of preventable diabetes-related amputations performed every year, the report shows that diabetes healthcare has drifted into a state of crisis.

“With the number of people with diabetes rising so rapidly, unless urgent action is taken now, this rising tide threatens to sink the NHS.” Care Ser vices Minister Paul Burstow said, “There is still much to be done to help tackle diabetes and root out poor care”. — KUNA

LONDON: The next time a headline tells of a sharp fall in measles deaths around the world, or an increase in those on treatment for HIV, or the shifting of the burden of cancer, spare a thought for the number-crunchers behind such far-reaching data.

Above all else, analysing the state of the world’s health - be it by looking at obesity rates, cancer cases, malaria deaths, or HIVfree births - requires decent statistics. Billions of dollars are allocated and whole policy shifts made on the basis of figures from United Nations agencies like the World Health Organisation ( WHO), UNICEF or the World Bank.

Yet good data are hard to find, as the WHO’s statistical analysis team knows. And extrapolating meaningful global figures from sparse raw material can be fraught with danger. In an interview with Reuters ahead of this week’s World Health Statistics report, Ties Boerma, WHO’s director of health statistics and information systems, started with a little known but alarming fact: “Two thirds of deaths in the world are not registered. And a third of births are also not registered.”

For a team tasked with producing reliable, independent and consistent data, not only on who is dying, but also from what, and where, why and how, that’s a tough starting point. “If you do a global health estimate, you’ve got to have the data. And getting data is a big problem,” Boerma said.

The WHO’s annual World Health Statistics reports are billed as a “snapshot of global health” designed to give the most up-todate picture across all 194 WHO member countries.

The year’s report, due on May

16, will give data on everything from rates of measles deaths around the world, to the percentage of women who have no access to contraception, to the number or psychiatrists one country has compared to another.

They are quoted by governments, UN agencies advocacy groups and campaigners, and set a standard to compare country with country, disease with disease, and past with present. But some recent high-profile disputes about some sets of data have focused a spotlight on the way the WHO collects its data and compiles its estimates.

A study by the respected United States Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) published in February found that malaria, for example, kills 1.2 million people a year worldwide nearly twice as many as WHO figures suggest.

The IHME researchers, whose study was published in The Lancet medical journal, said they thought past studies, including those used by the WHO’s statistics team, had overlooked hundreds of thousands of deaths because they wrongly assumed malaria overwhelmingly killed babies and children under five.

Addressing this disparity, Colin Mathers the WHO’s coordinator of statistics for mortality and burden of disease, says good assessment tools are essential if health statisticians are going to have even a chance of getting the numbers right.

And those can vary widely from disease to disease. For example with HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS, there are antibody tests which give clear results, and hence more robust data.

With tuberculosis things are a little trickier. A disease that afflicts mostly the poor and marginalised, it is harder to diagnose and results of tests, if they are done at all, can take days or weeks to confirm.

With malaria, it’s harder again, and Mathers says he and other experts have doubts about the strength of IHME’s data.

For their study, the IHME said they combined data from national registers with so-called “verbal autopsy ” studies, in which researchers interview the relatives of someone who has recently died to identify the cause of death.

“Malariologists would probably argue that verbal autopsy is a pretty poor instrument,” Mathers said. “If somebody has a fever and dies, there’s a tendency for malaria to be always the first thing that comes to mind.”

Then there’s the risk that countries might err on one side or the other. There are incentives both for over-estimating - larger numbers of disease cases could attract more funding - and to under-estimating, to demonstrate the effectiveness of a certain policy or programme.

“If you say 20 percent of deaths are due to unknown symptoms, then of course all your other causes of death are going to be artificially low,” Mathers said.

Boerma stresses the WHO uses the best data available and doesn’t bend under political pressure.

In the end, it publishes its own figures, and the methods by which it reached them, and stands by them even if they are different from data put out by national governments or research institutions.

He is, however, always hungry

for academic debate. “The positive thing about all of this, is that the malaria community is looking at it seriously (the idea that adult death rates may be higher),” he said. “It’s not a reason for the WHO to suddenly say its 600,00 or so figure is way too low, but as an academic stimulus to examining the issue, it’s a good thing.”

As well as the pages of numbers on afflictions ranging from polio to lung cancer, the WHO dedicates a sizeable chunk of its global health report to uncertainty. Ranges of uncertainty should be clearly published and include not only statistical uncertainty, Boerma says, but also take into account possible systemic biases; for example the extent to which a group of people within a nation may or may not be representative of a nation as a whole.

Hans Rosling, a professor of international health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, believes embracing this uncertainty, rather than seeking to banish it, is vital when working with global health data.

“I’ve spent the last 10 years thinking about nothing else,” he said in a telephone interview.

“And yes it’s absolutely essential that we continue to collect data and publish it.”

Rosling, who trained in statistics and medicine before starting the Gapminder Foundation, a non-profit venture which aims to depict the state of the world in numbers, says we must recognise that some things are easy to measure. He gives women’s fertility rates as an example, Others, like malaria deaths, are far more difficult. “It’s not just that good data are hard to find, as that uncertainty is hard to assess,” he said. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

WHAT’S ON Greetings

elated happy birthday to Sheren Nasser who celebrated her day on May 4. Wishing you good health and you more birthdays to come. Greetings coming from Baba Nasser, Mama Delia, sister Sarah, brother Ahmed, Mama Jovila and family and unties/uncle from Philippines and Egypt.

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Announcements ‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait.

Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

GUST opens 11th Job Fair he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) opened its 11th Job Fair, coinciding with the celebrations of its 10th Anniversary this year. Dr. Shuaib Shuaib, GUST President, formally opened the grand event with Dr. Robert Cook, VP for Academic Affairs and Dr. Osama Al-Hares, Director of Center of Alumni and Corporate Relations (CACR) at GUST. The 2-day event is organized by the CACR, in cooperation with 32 companies from both public and private sectors. The Platinum sponsors of the event are National Bank of Kuwait and Gulf Bank.

The Gold sponsors are: GUST Student Association, Kuwaiti Company for the Development of Small Businesses, Wataniya Telecom and Abyat. The Silver

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sponsors are: Mubaader Services, Ahli United Bank and Ernst & Young. The Media sponsor is Al-Anbaa.

The companies present at the fair in addition to the generous sponsors, were: ABK, Boubyan Bank, KPMG, Kuwait Oil Company, Bayt.com, Warba Insurance, AlSeef Hospital, Mabanee, Career Hunters, SOS, PWC, Beyout Investment Group, Logistica, LoYAC, Diyar United Company, Gulf Talent and many more.

The students both undergraduates and alumni were bustling around the different booths getting as much information as they can from the different companies they were interested in and were able to communicate directly and honestly to figure out the best direction for their future.

Dr Al-Hares, noted that at GUST, we are very diligent about preparing our students for what comes after graduation; not only with a high standard of education, but with a sharp mind that is aware of the ins and outs of the workforce.

“We’re in constant communication with our students, when they are studying here at the university and after they graduate, to ensure that the lines are open for them to seek guidance. This is why the university can live up to being a “university for life.” Because our jobs don’t stop when our students graduate, we are there for them even after they leave this campus, until they are in the right path they set for themselves”.

Dr Al-Hares also touched on GUST’s strong relationship with the community

and the corporations within society. “Our students are the most sought-after graduates in the market here in Kuwait,” which all ties in with everything from their education to their exceptional skills and preparedness to enter the workforce. GUST Alumni have achieved great things from starting their own successful businesses to entering the workforce into well established companies.

This is the goal of the fair, he adds, to help students and alumni get acquainted with what’s to come and be more than prepared. At GUST, we believe in the need to continue to support our youth and open doors for their development and training to prepare them for the brightest future. Dr. Al-Hares thanked all the sponsors for making this event a success as

Mother’s Day The American Women’s League will be celebrating Mother’s Day Breakfast at the Regency Hotel. On Saturday, May 19th. From 9:00 am to 11:00 am. For more information email: awlkuwait@yahoo.com Come join us and become a member!

Free Arabic course IPC is opening an Intensive Basic Arabic Course for ladies commencing from June 3 to July 8, 2012. The class will be from 5-7 pm for three days a week. Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main After hosting memorable recent event for noble cause “Ambassadors of Comedy” with International artist Aron, Dean & Nitin, ICS now geared up with full package of cultural entertainment in “Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main”. ICS now hosts renowned playback singer from Bollywood Abhijeet & world fame theater cum comedy king Umar Sharif from Pakistan on 18th May Friday, at 7 pm sharp. The Chief Guest for the event will be Ambassador of India, Kuwait. So join @ Dr Kamil Al Rayes Auditorium, AIS opposite Police Station Maidan Hawally Kuwait. For details call: 69632692 Yoga with the Golden Era Club The Golden Era Club presents ‘The Eight Fold Path to Yoga’ on 25th May; 5 to 7 pm. Yoga here! Yoga there! Yoga everywhere! Yet, few comprehend Yoga’s true nature! Join Yoga Guru - Aacharya Shashikala Pushkarna - on this unique journey to the true ‘union’ between the mind, body and spirit. All seniors (60+) are cordially invited. Venue- House #34, next to AbuTammam Intermediate School for Boys, Sate Alhusari St., Block 2, Rumaithiya.

Open House for Indian Citizens The Ambassador of India will be holding an Open House for Indian citizens to address their problems/grievances on Wednesdays of the second and the fourth week of every month between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs at the embassy. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day. To ensure timely action/followup by the Embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents. It may be mentioned that Embassy of India’s Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizen on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the consular officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) could be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances. Similarly, a labor wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labor Hall to address the labor related issue. There is also a 24X7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labors in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned Attaches in the labor section and the head of the labor wing could be contacted.

IKEA Kuwait sponsors ‘Carnival of HOPE’ KEA Kuwait recently sponsored the second carnival of Hope at the HOPE School for special needs in Kuwait. The event was held in an effort to showcase the school’s appreciation for the ongoing support of families, staff, and community

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organizations that have been devoted to the cause of special needs students locally.

Hope school’s students’ families and friends attended the ‘Carnival of Hope’ which hosted a series of entertaining activities such as games, face painting, car-

toon characters, music and much more.

Various shows were organized on stage along with many contests and raffle draws that were held throughout the evening.

IKEA Kuwait also participated by placing a booth with IKEA toys and the 2012 cata-

logue to provide the visitors an insight into the latest offerings and enable them to learn more about the store. IKEA Kuwait was presented with a plaque of appreciation during the event for continued contributions over the last year.

Kenya Airways conducts workshop for travel agents enya Airways has been flying in the Middle East for the last 28 years and has always been an operation providing point-to-point connection for customers flying in and out of Africa. Since Kenya Airways appointed Caesars Int’l Travel Co. as their GSA (General Sales Agent) for Kuwait, they conducted a workshop recently by inviting all leading travel agents in Kuwait at Swiss Bell-inn hotel.

The workshop was lead by Abraham Joseph, Area Manager - Middle East & Pakistan for Kenya Airways and supported by Rajesh, Manager - Commercial & Marketing of Caesars Int’l Travel.

“Kuwait is a very important market for Kenya Airways and appointing Caesars Int’l Travel as our GSA for Kuwait, we expect a flourishing market for Kenya Airways and look forward to rapidly establishing our presence in Kuwait market too,” said Abraham. Earlier this year, Kenya Airways and Boeing Commercial Airplanes reached an agreement on the order for nine Boeing 787-8 Dream liner aircrafts with the first one expected to be delivered by the fourth quarter of 2013.

“Africa is currently experiencing healthy arrival statistics and increasing foreign investment. In response, major developments and new market opportunities are popping up in a bid to cater to new markets and demands. Kenya Airways by entering into Kuwait market, we are going to introduce a new destination for our passengers in Kuwait for

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Abraham Joseph, Area Manager - Kenya Airways of Middle East & Pakistan (middle), Rajesh, Manager (Commercial & Marketing) of Caesars Int’l Travel (left), Tisha - Kenya Airways staff (far right) and Kenya Embassy official (second from right) during the workshop (right photo) view of the participants - workshop in action. the inflow of tourists to Kenya to enjoy and explore this beautiful country,” commented Rajesh.

Kenya, with its game-filled plains, rugged mountain ranges and the great East African Rift Valley lakes is one of the most exciting safari destinations you’ll ever experience. The Masai Mara National Reserve is famous the world over for the Great Migration. Every year the Great Migration sees around a million and a half wildebeests and countless zebras and gazelles migrate across

the hot plains in search of fresh green shoots. They are pursued relentlessly by the hungry jaws of Africa’s top predators and the scene is set for one of the most dramatic shows on earth.

In brief, Kenya is a year-round destination for both exceptional game viewing and spectacular scenery and Kenya Airways currently serves direct flights from Nairobi to Dubai, Muscat, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Passengers from Kuwait are offered with convenient connections through these destinations

onward Kenya Airways in a bid to keep up with the fast evolving reputation of Kenya as a premier destination. Kenya Airways and its excellent holiday package bookings can be made by contacting their sales office in Kuwait on Tel. 22261024 or mail - kwi.sales@kenya-airways.com and through appointed travel agents.

Caesars Travel entering new markets aesars Travel Group, one of the leaders in Travel and Tourism in Kuwait has revealed its latest expansion plan by adding new branch office at Mahboula to its portfolio.

“In the next few years time, we are aiming to operate around all GCC countries with diversified activities of travel ancillaries. We owe much of this success to the importance of our business relationships with airlines and our valued passengers, who, day-in day-out, utilizing our services, and we believe it is only right that we recognize and reward their support,” said P.N.J. Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Caesars Travel Group. Caesars Travel Group, over the years has gained the reputation of being one of the most reliable travel companies in the country and a one stop travel service operator and is continually making infrastructural investments across the country in a bid to meet the passenger growing demands.

Sukhvinder Singh, Operation Manager of Caesars Travel Group said, “Mahboula is the new residential and

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industrial hub and this area has only limited access to air service supports and we are delighted to help by investing in the local community by opening this office”, At this moment, Caesars Travel Group has got 20 offices across the country, offering with various services under the travel umbrella.

“Mahboula office is targeted with major developments aimed to the distant future in this area and many more in the early phases of design, the current position of Mahboula needs offices that cater to all travelers needs. Although we have more offices to support our passengers, naturally we will be looking to improve efficiency and raise quality standards wherever possible by putting the right professional, experienced staff to serve with our passengers,” remarked Basheer, one of the Group Coordinators of Caesars Travel Group.

The new office at Mehboula is located closer to Fintas, headed by Subin Thomas, one of the seniormost employees of the Caesars Travel Group and his team.

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

WHAT’S ON

IEI office bearers visit Kuwait Times he Institution of Engineers (India), or IEI, Chairman Joseph Panicker along with office bearers visited Kuwait Times yesterday. They were welcomed by Kuwait Times Marketing Director Adnan Saad where they discussed different topics during their meeting.

IEI is a professional body encompassing 15 engineering disciplines and representing the interests of Indian engineers on the global platform. Established in 1920 with its headquarters in Kolkota, IEI was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1935. It is the only professional body in India to have been bestowed this honour.

IEI has also entered into an agreement with Kuwait Society of Engineers for technical co-operation to promote and enlarge the exchange of technical, scientific and professional knowledge among both the organizations.

IEI conduct Technical Seminars, Workshops on topics related to Engineering and Technology and issue certificate as part of Continued Professional Development (CPD). Participating in national and international technical conferences, congresses, seminars, meets and activities. It also conducts AMIE examination.

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Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

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Y A Alghanim & Sons Engineering Group gold sponsor in ‘Deco Expo’

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.uae.gc.ca.

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EMBASSY OF CYPRUS The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy has moved. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies.

Registration information can be emailed to cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine).

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EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturday to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

usuf Ahmad Alghanim & Sons Engineering Group participated as a Gold Sponsor in the ‘DECO EXPO’ exhibition which took place at Um Kalthoum hall in 360 from May 1-3.

The exhibition created an important platform for companies to showcase their products related to home interior

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design, furniture and accessories. The Alghanim Engineering - Home Automation Division presented their latest product range for its residential customers, which is an automation system that enables customers to remotely control household items (shutters, lights, home cinema etc.) through an

iPad or iPhone. The launch ceremony was attended by Samer Berekdar, GGMEngineering Group and Sleiman Hassan, Director-Residential Division.

Sleiman Hassan addressed the attendees at the exhibition and stated that Alghanim Engineering is always committed to developing new and innova-

tive solutions for their customers.

The Engineering Group looks forward for more exhibitions of this kind in the future, for their existing and potential customers.

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EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 ■■■■■■■

‘Shaastrotsav’ - winners from GIS n the “Shaastrotsav” - festival of science - organized by the Palghat NSS Engineering college Alummi Association, held on 27th April Friday at SIMS Salmiya, the following students from Gulf Indian School (GIS) had won

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various prizes.

First prize - science exhibition (Sub Junior Category) 1. Lavanya Jayakumar - Class VII 2. Roshini Ravuri - Class VII Second prize - capq quiz

1. Peter Nikhil David - Class IX 2. Shanti Roy - Class X Third prize - computer animation contest 1. Vijay Anant - Class VIII Third prize - open category of science

exhibition 1. Praveena Makesh - Class VIII 2. Eshita Bansal - Class VIII 3. Sindhu Radhakrishnan - Class VIII GIS family extends hearty congratulations to all the winners!

GCC roadshow arrives in Kuwait

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal will be moving from its current location to a new place in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org ■■■■■■■

arriott International, Inc. has announced the launch of its 2012 Senior Management Sales Mission - a unique platform that will connect the company and its hotels with key customers and potential clients in Kuwait and the wider GCC. Having kicked off in the UAE earlier this month, the Sales Mission arrived in Kuwait (13 May) and will bring senior Marriott International executives and hotels closer to high-value corporate houses and intermediary partners, whilst providing an all-important opportunity to network with prospective partners.

“Our annual Senior Management Sales Mission epitomizes the innovative way in which Marriott International does business and is a reflection of our commitment to the region’s growth

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and development,” said Vladimir Dabbah, Vice President of Global Sales, Marriott International Middle East and Africa. “By maximising our time in Kuwait through a combination of networking events, customer visits and

prospect meetings, we show our appreciation to existing customers and update them on new hotel openings, events and promotions. This reflects the proactive way in which Marriott International strengthens existing relationships and grows new ones.”

Covering Kuwait City as well as a

number of other locations across the GCC - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Khobar and Doha - the Senior Management Sales Mission 2012 will involve General Managers and Corporate Executives from various Marriott International properties across the globe.

Marriott International, Inc. is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA with more than 3,700 properties in 73 countries and territories and reported revenues of over $12 billion in fiscal year 2011. The company operates and franchises hotels under 15 brands, including Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Bulgari, EDITION, Renaissance, Autograph Collection, AC Hotels by Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn,

TownePlace Suites, ExecuStay, and Marriott Executive Apartments brand names. The company also licenses vacation ownership resorts under three additional brands: Marriott Vacation Club, Grand Residences by Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club. There are approximately 300,000 employees at headquarters, managed and franchised property locations. Marriott is consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business operations, which it conducts based on five core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our world. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com

Faith Theological Centre inaugurated he 6th Batch in Graduate of Theology (G.Th) run by Faith Theological Seminary (Manakala, Kerala), Extension Centre, Kuwait Chapter was inaugurated by Rev Abraham Daniel (Director, FTC, Faridabad) on 12th May. Rev Joy Thomas chaired the meeting and felicitations were made by Pastors Manu Kurien, Sam John and T.I. Abraham.

Sources told that registration still continues & the first class will be held on 18th May 2012.

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

Write to us Send to What’s On Sunil P Antony receives expat award ‘Pravasi Puraskaaram’ which was organized by the Arch Diocese of Changanacherry Catholic Congress from Kerala Civil Supplies minister Anoop Jacob, the son of late minister TM Jacob.

upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 02:35 Great Animal Escapes 03:00 Great Animal Escapes 03:30 My Cat From Hell 04:25 Wildest Africa 05:20 Wildlife SOS 05:45 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:10 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 07:25 Wild Animal Orphans 07:50 Natural Born Hunters 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Extraordinary Dogs 09:10 Must Love Cats 10:05 Wildest Africa 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Animal Cops South Africa 12:50 Safari Vet School 13:15 Safari Vet School 13:45 Wild Africa Rescue 14:10 Wildlife SOS 14:40 Wildest Africa 15:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Wild Animal Orphans 17:00 Natural Born Hunters 17:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 18:20 Dogs vs. Cats 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:10 Great Ocean Adventures 21:05 Queens Of The Savannah 22:00 Safari Vet School 22:25 Safari Vet School 22:55 Wildlife SOS 23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix

00:00 Newsday 00:30 Asia Business Report 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 Newsday 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Hardtalk 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 World Business Report 04:45 BBC World News 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 World Business Report 05:45 BBC World News 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 Sport Today 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 Hardtalk 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 BBC World News 11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 11:30 GMT With George Alagiah 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 13:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 14:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 14:30 World Business Report 14:45 Sport Today 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 Hardtalk 16:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 16:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 17:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 18:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 19:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 19:30 World Business Report

19:45 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 21:45 22:00 22:30 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:45

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:00 05:25 05:50 06:00 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:10 19:00 19:15 19:40 19:55 20:20 20:35 20:55 21:20 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:20 23:45

Sport Today BBC World News America Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today

Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Dexters Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Dastardly And Muttley Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Moomins The Garfield Show Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:25 Eliot Kid 06:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Regular Show 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien

10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 11:50 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10: Alien Force 13:30 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 13:55 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 14:20 Camp Lazlo 14:45 Powerpuff Girls 15:35 Angelo Rules 16:25 Grim Adventures Of...

17:15 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:40 Adventure Time 18:05 Regular Show 18:30 Ben 10 18:55 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:20 Hero 108 19:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 20:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:00 Ben 10: Alien Force 21:25 The Powerpuff Girls 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:15 01:10 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

One Man Army Destroyed In Seconds Gold Rush Gold Divers Alone In The Wild One Man Army How It’s Made Factory Line Flying Wild Alaska Twist The Throttle Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Hunters How It’s Made Factory Line Fight Quest One Man Army Storm Chasers Border Security Auction Hunters Flying Wild Alaska Twist The Throttle Wheeler Dealers Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How It’s Made Factory Line Border Security Auction Hunters Carfellas Deception With Keith Barry One Man Army An Idiot Abroad

00:35 01:25 01:50 02:40 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:35 10:25 10:50 11:20 12:15 13:05 13:55 14:20 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:40

Meteorite Men The Tech Show Mega Builders Superships Weird Connections Weird Connections Stunt Junkies Stunt Junkies Mighty Ships Smash Lab Meteorite Men Weird Connections Weird Connections Mega Builders Superships The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Smash Lab Mighty Ships Meteorite Men Weird Connections Weird Connections Stunt Junkies Stunt Junkies The Tech Show Smash Lab The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Meteorite Men Through The Wormhole With

WINDTALKERS ON OSN ACTION HD

Morgan Freeman 19:30 Space Pioneer 20:20 The Gadget Show 20:45 The Gadget Show 21:10 Smash Lab 22:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:50 Space Pioneer 23:40 Mighty Ships

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:25 09:35 09:45 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:31 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Fish Hooks Recess So Random Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mouk Recess So Random Hannah Montana Fish Hooks Jake & Blake Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Recess Fish Hooks Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Jessie Jessie A.N.T. Farm Recess Wizards Of Waverly Place So Random Fish Hooks Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Jonas So Random Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:21 American Dragon 06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 07:10 Mr. Young 07:35 Mr. Young 08:00 Mr. Young 08:25 Mr. Young 08:50 Kick Buttowski 09:15 Zeke & Luther 09:40 I’m In The Band 10:05 Phineas And Ferb 10:30 Kid vs Kat 10:55 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 11:20 Aaron Stone 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 American Dragon 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 I’m In The Band 13:45 Kid vs Kat 14:10 Pair Of Kings 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Rekkit Rabbit 15:25 Pokemon: Black And White 15:50 Timon And Pumbaa 16:15 Rated A For Awesome 16:40 Rated A For Awesome 17:05 Zeke & Luther 17:30 Mr. Young 17:55 Phineas And Ferb 18:20 Phineas And Ferb 18:45 I’m In The Band 19:10 Kickin It 19:35 Kick Buttowski 20:00 Pair Of Kings 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 Escape From Scorpion Island 21:20 Aaron Stone 21:45 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS 02:20 THS 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami 14:35 Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Khloe And Lamar 17:25 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 E! News 18:55 E!es 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:25 Giuliana & Bill 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Fashion Police

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:30 03:20 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Haunted Psychic Witness I Married A Mobster Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Psychic Witness Disappeared Forensic Detectives Undercover Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol Undercover Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives FBI Case Files Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Killer Kids Deadly Women Dr G: Medical Examiner

01:35 The Curse Of Inferno-PG 03:00 Illegal In Blue-18 04:35 Fatal Charm 06:05 Lord Of The Flies-PG 07:35 Leona Helmsley: The Queen Of Mean 09:10 Hell Boats-PG 10:45 Halls Of Anger-PG 12:25 Critical Assembly-PG 13:50 For Better Or For Worse 15:25 Report To The CommissionerPG 17:15 Hannah And Her Sisters-PG 19:00 My American Cousin-PG 20:30 Steel And Lace-18 22:00 Sometimes They Come Back18 23:35 Eureka

00:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 01:00 Deadliest Journeys 01:30 Deadliest Journeys 02:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 03:00 Banged Up Abroad 04:00 Treks In A Wild World 05:00 Endurance Traveller 06:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 07:00 Deadliest Journeys 07:30 Deadliest Journeys 08:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 09:00 Banged Up Abroad 10:00 Treks In A Wild World 11:00 Endurance Traveller 12:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 13:00 Deadliest Journeys 13:30 Deadliest Journeys 14:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 15:00 Banged Up Abroad 16:00 Treks In A Wild World 17:00 Endurance Traveller 18:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 19:00 Word Travels 19:30 Word Travels 20:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 20:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 21:00 Food School 21:30 Food School 22:00 Long Way Down 23:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy

00:00 Megastructures 01:00 Ancient Secrets: Witch Hunter’s Bible 02:00 Is It Real?

03:00 Megastructures 04:00 Caught In The Act 05:00 Hunter Hunted 06:00 Banged Up Abroad 07:00 Inside 08:00 Megastructures 09:00 Ancient Secrets: Witch Hunter’s Bible 10:00 Is It Real?

11:00 Megastructures 12:00 Caught In The Act 13:00 Hunter Hunted 14:00 Banged Up Abroad 15:00 Inside 16:00 Megastructures 17:00 Ancient Secrets: China’s Lost Pyramids 18:00 Is It Real?

19:00 Megastructures 20:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 21:00 Shark Men 22:00 Lockdown 23:00 Inside

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Animal Underworld Mystery Gorilla Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Swamp Men The Living Edens Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Lion Army Cliffhangers My Life Is A Zoo Leopard Queen Superfish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act How Big Can It Get Cliffhangers My Life Is A Zoo Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Lion Army Cliffhangers

A SINGLE MAN ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

00:00 01:45 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Animal Underworld Mystery Gorilla Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Swamp Men The Living Edens Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Lion Army Cliffhangers My Life Is A Zoo Leopard Queen Superfish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act How Big Can It Get Cliffhangers My Life Is A Zoo Monster Fish Expedition Wild Caught In The Act Lion Army Cliffhangers

Nine Dead-PG15 Windtalkers-PG15 The Untouchables-PG15 All Star Superman-PG15 Rocky III-PG15 A Lonely Place For DyingTaxi-PG15 Rocky III-PG15 Wild Bill-PG15 Taxi-PG15 A Perfect Getaway-18 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15

01:00 Peter And Vandy-18 03:00 West Is West-PG15 05:00 A Trace Of Danger-PG15 07:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 09:00 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 11:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 13:00 My Dog Tulip-PG15 15:00 Make It Happen-PG15 17:00 Prom-PG15 19:00 Dear John-PG15 21:00 Paranormal Activity 2-18 23:00 A Single Man-R

00:00 King Of The Hill 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Louie 02:30 Curb Your Enthusiasm 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Raising Hope 04:00 Weird Science 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:00 Mr. Sunshine 06:30 Melissa And Joey 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Weird Science 08:30 The Simpsons 09:00 Seinfeld 10:30 Melissa And Joey 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Mr. Sunshine 12:30 Weird Science 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Melissa And Joey 14:00 Raising Hope 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 16:30 Mr. Sunshine 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Perfect Couples 18:30 Wilfred 19:00 The League 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:30 Hung 23:00 Curb Your Enthusiasm 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives Game Of Thrones Revenge Strike Back Good Morning America The Invisible Man Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives Good Morning America The Invisible Man The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice House The River Strike Back

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Tudors Falling Skies Game Of Thrones Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives Friday Night Lights Revenge Emmerdale Coronation Street Royal Pains The Closer Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Royal Pains Falling Skies Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Surface Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice House The River The Tudors

01:00 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:15 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

Alive-PG15 Deadtime Stories 2-PG15 RoboCop-PG15 Little Big Soldier-PG15 Fatal Secrets-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 In The Line Of Fire-PG15 Fatal Secrets-PG15 The A-Team-PG15 Kalifornia-18 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15 Assassination Tango-18

00:00 02:00 PG15 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

A Film With Me In It-PG15 My Best Friend’s Wedding-

01:15 PG15 03:15 05:30 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 PG15 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

For Richer Or Poorer-PG A Film With Me In It-PG15 Captain Ron-PG15 Babe-FAM Indian Summer-PG15 Our Family Wedding-PG15 Babe-FAM Out Cold-PG15 French Kiss-PG15 Burke And Hare-18

Le Dernier Pour LA RouteWild At Heart-18 Limousine-PG15 Le Code A Change-PG15 Bond Of Silence-PG15 Soapdish-PG Mademoiselle ChambonBond Of Silence-PG15 Mary, Queen Of Scots-PG15 Cape Fear-PG15 The Weather Man-18 Partir-18

01:00 The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who...18 03:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 05:00 Despicable Me-FAM 07:00 Don’t Fade Away-PG15 09:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 11:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG 13:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella TalePG15 15:00 Post Grad-PG15 17:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 19:00 Hop-PG 21:00 Dinner For Schmucks-PG15 23:00 Black Swan-18

02:30 European PGA Tour Highlights 03:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 04:30 Super Rugby 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Super Rugby Highlights 08:00 Premier League Darts 11:30 NRL Premiership 13:30 Trans World Sport 14:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 15:30 Futbol Mundial 16:00 Super Rugby Highlights 17:00 Super Rugby 19:00 NRL Premiership 22:00 Futbol Mundial 22:30 This Week in WWE 23:00 UFC

01:30 02:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 13:30 14:30 15:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

AFL Highlights Premier League Darts SPL Highlights Mobil 1 The Grid NRL Premiership Super Rugby Triathlon Triathlon Super Rugby Highlights AFL Highlights Premier League Darts SPL Highlights NRL Full Time Top 14 Highlights Mobil 1 The Grid Futbol Mundial SPL Highlights European PGA Tour Highlights Golfing World

00:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 01:00 Top 14 Highlights 01:30 Pro 12 03:30 NRL Premiership 05:30 Adventure Sports 06:00 World Cup Of Pool 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Highlights 09:00 Top 14 Highlights 09:30 Super Rugby Highlights 10:30 Scottish Premier League 12:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 13:00 AFL Highlights 14:00 Golfing World 15:00 Top 14 Highlights 15:30 Rugby League Challenge Cup 17:30 AFL Premiership 20:00 Super Rugby Highlights 21:00 Super Rugby 23:00 NRL Full Time 23:30 Sevens World Series

01:00 02:00 03:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live UFC Prelims LIVE UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT PrizeFighter Mobil 1 The Grid This Week in WWE WWE SmackDown UAE National Race Day UAE National Race Day Mobil 1 The Grid WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars Extra UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Prelims UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter

Classifieds TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA DHX FDB MSR QTR JZR THY DHX FCX JZR KAC BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA KAC ETD IRA GFA MEA JZR MSR JZR JZR MSR GFA KAC KAC FDB KNE QTR SVA KAC RJA KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD JZR UAE SVA GFA UAL JZR JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC MSR JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK SYR KLM UAE JZR ABY QTR DHX AIC RBG GFA UAL JZR DLH THY PIA

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 15/5/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 416 JAKARTA 301 ABU DHABI 619 LAR 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 201 DAMASCUS 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 514 TEHRAN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 562 AMMAN 640 AMMAN 546 ALEXANDRIA 678 ABU DHABI 134 DOHA 215 DEIREZZOR 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 787 RIYADH 857 DUBAI 510 RIYADH 215 BAHRAIN 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 542 CAIRO 786 JEDDAH 166 PARIS 63 DUBAI 104 LONDON 624 SOHAG 325 NAJAF 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 614 BAHRAIN 742 DAMMAM 572 MUMBAI 774 RIYADH 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 341 DAMASCUS 415 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 372 BAHRAIN 981 CHENNAI 3553 ALEXANDRIA 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 772 ISTANBUL 205 LAHORE

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:35 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 7:15 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:20 9:30 9:40 10:00 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:25 12:30 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:05 15:15 15:15 16:00 16:35 16:40 16:55 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:40 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH KLM PIA THY ETH UAE FDB OMA DHX ETD MSR QTR NCR QTR JZR RJA JZR JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB KAC ABY JZR KAC KAC KAC UAE JZR KAC QTR FDB ETD IRA IRA GFA KAC KAC MEA JZR MSR KAC JZR JZR GFA FDB MSR KAC KNE KAC SVA RJA JZR QTR KAC KAC KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY SVA UAL JZR FDB KAC MSR JZR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA DHX ALK SYR KLM ABY KAC UAE FCX QTR KAC KAC JZR DHX QTR AXB RBG GFA KAC JZR

Departure Flights on Tuesday 15/5/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 953 AQABA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 200 DAMASCUS 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 677 ABU DHABI 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 513 IMAM KHOMEINI 561 AMMAN 671 DUBAI 856 DUBAI 214 DEIREZZOR 101 LONDON 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 618 LAR 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 623 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 501 JEDDAH 641 AMMAN 324 AL NAJAF 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 613 BAHRAIN 741 DAMMAM 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 538 CAIRO 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 982 BAHRAIN 266 BEIRUT 64 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 607 LUXOR 184 DUBAI 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 342 DEIREZZOR 415 DAMMAM 120 SHARJAH 381 DELHI 860 DUBAI 102 BAHRAIN 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 554 ALEXANDRIA 373 BAHRAIN 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 3554 ALEXANDRIA 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 528 ASSIUT

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:55 1:00 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:30 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:00 7:05 7:10 8:10 8:25 8:25 8:35 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:40 10:45 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:15 12:25 13:10 13:15 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 15:05 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:30 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:40 18:50 19:25 19:30 19:55 20:05 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:40 23:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) Prayer timings

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:26 11:44 15:20 18:34 20:01

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

ACCOMMODATION One bedroom available for Keralite couples in Abbasiya near Maliaekal Jewellers with a Christian family.

Window A/C, single bathroom. Contact: 99494671.

(C 4004) Sharing accommodation available for an executive Indian bachelor in a C-A/C building with a Keralite family, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom in Abbassiya, opp.

Spencer Bakery. Contact: 97647908/ 24759069.

(C 4006) 15-5-2012 Room available in New Riggae in a central AC flat without kitchen facility for single, non-smoker, south Indian executive bachelor.

Contact. 99515956.

14-5-2012 Sharing accommodation available for decent Keralite bachelor in Abbasiya near German Clinic. Contact: 99651292/ 66471315.

(C 4000)

FOR SALE Nissan Sunny 2007, Golden color, 114,000 km, 1.6L, KD 600 cash + KD 46 (for 23 Months) or KD 1,600/- cash, negotiable.

Contact: 66925390/ 66604286.

(C 4003) 14-5-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required a live-in house maid Sri Lankan or Filipino for an Indian family in Farwaniya, salary KD 120/(for one month). Contact: 66473343. (C 4001) 12-5-2012 MATRIMONIAL 32 year, Orthodox boy (5’9”) working as sales manager in a MNC logistic company invites proposals from God fearing and well educated girls.

Email: maibu007@gmail.com (C 3993) 10-5-2012

Hospitals Sabah Hospital Amiri Hospital Maternity Hospital Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital Chest Hospital Farwaniya Hospital Adan Hospital Ibn Sina Hospital Al-Razi Hospital Physiotherapy Hospital

24812000 22450005 24843100 25312700 24849400 24892010 23940620 24840300 24846000 24874330/9

Clinics Rabiya Rawdha Adailiya Khaldiya Khaifan Shamiya Shuwaikh Abdullah Salim Al-Nuzha Industrial Shuwaikh Al-Qadisiya Dasmah Bneid Al-Ghar Al-Shaab Al-Kibla Ayoun Al-Kibla Mirqab Sharq Salmiya Jabriya Maidan Hawally Bayan Mishref W.Hawally Sabah Jahra New Jahra West Jahra South Jahra North Jahra North Jleeb Ardiya Firdous Al-Omariya N.Khaitan Fintas

24732263 22517733 22517144 24848075 24849807 24848913 24814507 22549134 22526804 24814764 22515088 22532265 22531908 22518752 22459381 22451082 22456536 22465401 25746401 25316254 25623444 25388462 25381200 22630786 24810221 24770319 24575755 24772608 24775066 24775992 24311795 24884079 24892674 24719048 24710044 3900322

CHANGE OF NAME I, Saldana Rita, holder of Indian passport No. G1350852 converted to Islam do hereby change my name to Sameera. (C 4005) 15-5-2012 I, Subramaniyan Saravanan, s/o Subramaniyan, holder of Indian passport No. G9950267 converted to Islam do hereby change my name to S. Sameer Mohamed. (C 4002) 13-5-2012 I, Bhasha Venkatesh holder of Indian passport No. E5976797 hereby change my name to Bhasha Chalapathy.

10-5-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required a live-in house maid Sri Lankan or Filipino for an Indian family in Farwaniya, salary KD 120/(for one month). Contact: 66473343. (C 4001) 12-5-2012

SITUATION WANTED Experienced Roman Catholic Christian Sri Lankan lady need to work in American, European, British family, living maid or nanny babysitting, cooking, house work. Contact: 55493669. (C 3994) 9-5-2012

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345 00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594

French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258

34

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 675

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You could be the main attraction today, especially with superiors or in relation to your work. You may find that you enjoy your job or the responsibility it entails more than usual. You are sensitive and in tune with others today, perhaps listening at some length to someone’s problems. Your intensity and passionate approach to life are obvious to all who meet you. Through the end of this month, it would be easy to talk you into anything, particularly if you thought you could make extra money out of a particular deal—careful. This could mean anything from a great job offer or deal, to a young person testing his or her limits. Your health gets better all during this year—keep it that way through structured and programmed exercise and smart eating.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Look for the best deal possible, read the small print, do not believe everything you hear or see—check credentials and past activities with the Better Business Bureau. This is the mindset that you need to acquire for a while. In a couple of weeks, you will be able to sign anything you want to sign—magic happens. Start looking for classes, books or lectures on how to become better organized. Things are looking up and much of your success will hinge on organizational skills. The few challenges that you face for the rest of this year are manageable. This can be one of the happiest and most fulfilling times of your life. Your playmate or loved one will enjoy planning a surprise for you this evening. There is passion tonight.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Of the nature of or undergoing an experiment.

5. Wild or seedling sweet cherry used as stock for grafting.

9. Occurring widely (as to many people).

13. A member of an extinct North American Indian people who lived in the Pit river valley in northern California.

14. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos.

15. Large elliptical brightly colored deep-sea fish of Atlantic and Pacific and Mediterranean.

16. An industrial city in southern Poland on the Vistula.

18. A doctor's degree in optometry.

19. Medium-sized tree having glossy lanceolate leaves.

20. Carry out or participate in an activity.

21. Evergreen Indian shrub with vivid yellow flowers whose bark is used in tanning.

23. Austrian composer who influenced the classical form of the symphony (1732-1809).

25. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

26. A circumscribed inflammatory and often suppurating lesion on the skin or an internal mucous surface resulting in necrosis of tissue.

29. Thick cushion used as a seat.

34. The syllable naming the fifth (dominant) note of any musical scale in solmization.

36. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

37. A person regarded as arrogant and annoying.

39. Following surreptitiously.

42. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

44. Accumulation in the blood of nitrogen-bearing waste products (urea) that are usually excreted in the urine.

45. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given orally.

47. Half the width of an em.

48. A prosthesis that replaces a missing leg.

55. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

56. A comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations.

59. Capital and largest city and economic center of Peru.

60. A former monetary unit in Great Britain.

61. A member of the Semitic speaking people of northern Ethiopia.

63. Take something away by force or without the consent of the owner.

64. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

65. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

66. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria.

DOWN 1. A crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement.

2. Earn on some commercial or business transaction.

3. An unforeseen obstacle.

4. Flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules.

5. Having the properties of glue.

6. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

7. 100 avos equal 1 pataca.

8. A quantity of no importance.

9. A constitutional monarchy in a tiny enclave on the French Riviera.

10. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates.

11. An narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family.

12. A thin wedge of material (wood or metal or stone) for driving into crevices.

17. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

22. A tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production.

24. Type genus of the Noctuidae.

27. Lacking companions or companionship.

28. Colloquial British abbreviation.

30. A drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the lacrimal glands.

31. Injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration or mutilation.

32. God of fire.

33. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

35. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity.

38. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

40. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

41. United States tennis player (born in Czechoslovakia) who won several singles championships.

43. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

46. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

49. Very dark black.

50. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

51. Queen of the Olympian gods in ancient Greek mythology.

52. A genus of Mustelidae.

53. In a murderous frenzy as if possessed by a demon.

54. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

57. The 17th letter of the Greek alphabet.

58. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

62. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This is a go-with-the-flow sort of day. There could be communication problems, but it is okay to ask others to repeat themselves or to explain some situation in a different way. This will help clear away any confusion.

You may not trust those in authority just now and you must be careful with your response to superiors. Someone understands how you feel and may be very supportive. You seem able to manipulate most every idea or situation and bring it around to good use. Your mind is ever on communication, how you present yourself and how the results of your communication will impress others. Everything seems to conspire to bring attention to you this evening. Jump on any opportunity to mix business with pleasure—network.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) A challenging day today may add to your frustration level. If there were not schedules and promises to keep, the work might not be completed. Challenges, however, keep all of us on our toes! You may see new ways to make use of your position. An unconventional approach to working for or with others, may require a special work situation for you. You may benefit from an older person or someone in authority backing up your ideas now.

Practical, utilitarian ideas and putting them to good use are a focus for you this afternoon. Today you may just want to do the best you can in all your affairs, without becoming too frustrated. You are innovative when it comes to self-analysis and self-care: food, diet, health, etc. Enjoy bubbles.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a challenging day for you in that there are many interactions with people that may put you out front and on the hot seat, so to speak. This may be a good thing for your professional life. Someone is pulling for you—big time. Success and security at the expense of originality may be too great a price to pay. Some middle-of-the-road compromise could be found. You will make career gains by your ability to sense quality and choose accordingly. Being more involved with neighbors or sibling(s) satisfies a deep emotional need. Certainly, this is a good time to spend with loved ones and family. There is a need for security and a sense of roots. Friends, family, home and relatives play a big, joyful part in your life this summer.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Some adjustments are necessary for your workday to run well.

The more you can go with the flow, the better. Changes you want to make, or are making, are challenged by someone close to you—or by events. Think things through before making any quick decisions—there is time. Your inner resources and emotions are strong this afternoon. Expect a sense of support and goodwill from those around you. Problems are valued for the lessons they represent, rather than perceived as obstacles. You have lots of restless energy that can be channeled constructively with a little focus. Burn off the stress through exercise, perhaps running up and down stairs this afternoon. This evening you may find a romantic relationship has improved.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

This is a very good day for job-related events. You may shine in your particular job—practical insights come with ease. It seems you are on an uphill swing financially and may discover ways in which to invest that can be quite profitable. However, take care not to fall for some moneymaking gimmick— check and recheck. There are some unbelievable deals out there. You can block yourself from progress with the attitude of having plenty, versus the experience of neediness. Your intuition is high—listen before you leap. With regard to the diet conscious, becoming too strict in the diet department can cause some real problems: rebellion.

Loosen up on the tight restrictions and cut back on the quantity and condiments. This is a good afternoon.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You enjoy the good things in life and do not mind working hard to get them. A call for overtime or added work makes you a happy camper for the day. Financial gains are possible through this endeavor. If you look really hard you can see the trends of your finances for the rest of this year. Now is the time to plot your course. This is a day that may test your willpower. There may be an opportunity to enjoy a celebration of some sort. Don’t go overboard, however, because it is difficult to reverse the caffeine, sugar and fat effect on the body for days after a splurge. A diet that is too restrictive opens up the possibilities for many binges and setbacks—easy does it. There are opportunities to be with friends as well as the family in a fun setting this evening.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You are ambitious, self-confident, honorable and generous regarding money matters. Your professional life goes along pretty well until you find out about someone that is furthering his or her education in order to increase his or her income. You may decide to do the same—there is certainly a strong desire to improve your work status. Be careful that you do not overspend too much just now—you will need the money if you are going to further your education.

You could feel great support from those around you and you could be feeling quite natural and healthy. You are fond of your home life and always strive to create a harmonious environment. There is a healing taking place between you and a sibling.

Communication is better than ever!

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

This is a rewarding day. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on a strong emotional significance for you.

Communicating with long-distance associates, engaging in difficult and possibly vague business matters have surprisingly positive results for you. Your determination to learn and become more flexible in your routine brings you a more comfortable life style. Your professional or educational program may be tough and you will want to schedule in some relaxation time for yourself. A fitness program or team sports will help you relieve stress and meet new friends. You are in a festive mood this evening and desirous of having a good time with friends and family. A good conversation with those you love is possible.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You are in demand when it comes to your profession today.

Your eagerness is encouraged as others call on you for help or advice. You will be asked to think quickly and you respond without hesitation.

This is certainly a busy day, as well as a productive one. This demanding day is temporary—at home this afternoon you will be able to relax and enjoy a little quiet time. You will have an opportunity to complete some unfinished project before other family members return home—you may even decide to do a little cooking as well. You and a special someone should get along very well this evening—you will make plans to attend some future function together. Later this evening you may enjoy sharing a massage.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This is a rewarding day for you and just about anything you set out to do now can be accomplished. At least you will make big strides in some project that you thought you might not be able to complete. You could be known as the best team player at work. You work well in a team situation but you must guard against being used by others today. Problems are valued for the lessons they represent, rather than perceived as obstacles. There is a harmony between your emotions and rational action today. Your strong personal magnetism and effervescent personality may gain you attention from the opposite sex. Make sure this attraction is not in the workplace, however. Your friendly attitude inspires anyone who comes across your path today.

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

lifest yle G o s s i p

obby Brown says it took him a long time to come out with a new album because he’s spent so much time trying to get his life on track. Now on tour with bandmates New Edition, Brown says he’s ready to return to his solo career with the album “Masterpiece,” due out June 5. It’s his first album in 25 years. Brown calls the album a dream and says it repre-

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lec Baldwin, Janet Jackson and Kylie Minogue are headed to the South of France to co-chair amfAR’s annual gala at the Cannes Film Festival. Other co-

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sents his attempt to heal himself through his music. Brown has had a well-documented history with drugs and legal woes, but he says he’s been drug-free for more than seven years.

chairs for the charity soiree are actress Milla Jovovich (YOH’-vuh-vich), designer Karl Lagerfeld, producer Harvey Weinstein, “The Artist” co-star Berenice Bejo and director Michel Hazanavicius (mee-SHEHL’ ah-zahnah-VEE’-see-oos), Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai and amfAR chairman Kenneth Cole. The Cinema Against AIDS event on May 24 will feature a live auction and runway show to benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Past bigticket auction items included a kiss from “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson, a dress right off Gwen Stefani’s back and Madonna’s one-of-a-kind Chanel handbag.

The event has raised more than $70 million since launching in Cannes in 1993.

ena Suvari’s estranged husband wants her to pay him $17,000 a month in spousal support. The ‘America Pie: Reunion’ actress split from Simone Sestito last November after less than two years of marriage and now the concert promoter has claimed he has “negative balances” on all his personal and business accounts. According to court documents filed earlier this week which have been obtained by TMZ.com Simone also says he has been forced to pay his bills with credit cards and loans from his parents. So he is now asking for $17,000 a

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month from Mena as part of their divorce settlement as he claims the ‘American Beauty’ star earns $750,000 a year. Mena - whose fiveyear union to first husband cinematographer Robert Brinkmann ended in 2005 - recently admitted all her exes end up having her and she isn’t on good terms with any of them. The 33-year-old star said: “I’ve never run into an ex who I have fallen back in love with. They all end up hating me. I just keep moving on. I don’t like going back, I think that’s unhealthy.”

Stone: Walliams ‘stalked’ me avid Walliams “stalked” his wife Lara Stone to get her attention when they first met. The 28year-old Dutch model and the 40-year-old British comedian started dating in September 2009 but she has revealed she wasn’t instantly interested in him but he was determined to woo her. In an interview with Dutch Vogue magazine, Lara said: “He stalked me”. When asked if it wasn’t exactly love at first sight, she added: “To him it was!” The catwalk beauty - who announced her engagement to David in January 2010 before the couple married in May of the same year - believes she and the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ star have a great relationship because they share a similar sense of humour and are both strongminded individuals. She said: “I think people like it when you have a bit of personality. It helps that I am not afraid to say what I want to do and what I don’t want to do.” Lara has no immediate plans to have a baby with David but they are enjoying practising being parents by caring for their Border Terrier puppy Bert - who they adopted on Valentine’s Day. She said: “A baby will -probably never be as fun as Bert.”

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shton Kutcher has signed up for a second season of ‘Two and a Half Men’. The 34-year-old star - who replaced troubled actor Charlie Sheen as a lead character in the TV series last year - will return for the tenth season of the comedy and sources have revealed to The Hollywood Reporter he will receive a pay rise of $25,000 an episode, meaning he will earn $725,000 for each instalment. Ashton - who split from wife Demi Moore last year - previously revealed he was keen to return for another series because he enjoyed doing it so much.

The actor - who appears in the show with Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones - said: “I’m having a lot of fun doing the show, working with these guys and would be interested in coming back. “The deal that we structured for the show is kind of a test deal, ‘Can we get the show up? Can we get it going?’ “The show is outperforming the numbers from before I was here, and so I think people are responding to it, and, for me having a show that people like and people want more of, that’ll dictate my decision.” The first episode of ‘Two and a Half Men’ in which Ashton appeared set a ratings record for the show, drawing in some 27.7 million viewers - more than double the number who watched the first episode of season eight in 2010.

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ussell Brand has “unfollowed” his estranged wife Katy Perry on twitter. The ‘Rock of Ages’ actor has deleted the ‘Part of Me’ hitmaker from his social networking account four-and-a-half months after filing for divorce from the brunette beauty, who ditched him on twitter almost immediately after they split in December 2011, bringing an end to their 14-monthmarriage. The 36-year-old comedian - who goes by the handle @rusty rockets on the micro-blogging site and regularly tweets his 4.6 million followers - axed Katy from his follower list earlier this week, shortly after he was said to have emailed the 27-year-old star asking for a second chance at their relationship. Russell - who follows 77 people on twitter - is thought to have acted after seeing photographs of the pop star being affectionate with Florence + the Machine guitarist Robert Ackroyd, who she is rumored to be dating, at the Coachella Music Festival. Despite being unfollowed by Russell, Katy still has more than 19.5 million followers on the micro-blogging site, and she tracks just 88 people’s thoughts. Russell has dated a number of women since announcing his divorce from Katy, and he was recently linked to David Hasselhoff’s ex-girlfriend Anouska de Georgiou. The ‘Get Him to the Greek’ star was introduced to the budding actress - who dated the ‘Baywatch’ actor in 2010 - at a charity fundraiser in Los Angeles last month.

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atherine Heigl was “overcome with emotion” when she met her adopted baby daughter for the first time.

The ‘27 Dresses’ actress and her singer/songwriter husband Josh Kelley were “bouncing off the walls with excitement and anticipation” as they waited to hear about Adalaide’s birth last April. And Katherine was reduced to tears when the child was placed in her arms. Speaking in an interview with the UK edition of HELLO! Magazine, Katherine said: “I don’t cry easily or often but I’m not gonna lie, this was one of those moments where you can’t help but be overcome with emotion.

There were some tears and lot of giddiness and joy. “The moment they put her in my arms I just felt an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder that this perfect little being was our daughter.” The couple also have another daughter, three-yearold Naleigh - who they adopted from South Korea in 2009 - and they waited to welcome Adalaide into their family until they felt it was the right time. Katherine, 33, is a fierce advocate for adoption and is adamant there are no rules as to how you create your family. She said: “I’ve always known I wanted to adopt and I fell in love with a man who was happy to have a family that included it ... I’ve never felt

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ada Pinkett Smith’s mother has revealed she took drugs during her daughter’s childhood. The actress’ mum Adrienne Banfield Jones has confessed she was “not a good mother” in an intimate video chat with Jada’s daughter, Willow, 11. In the video, Jada, Adrienne and Willow sit and discuss their relationship. Adrienne tells Willow: “I had mommy [Jada] when I was very young and then I got addicted to drugs after mommy was born. “It was a very difficult time for us growing up with her and Jada did not have the kind of life that you have now. “I was on drugs until your mom was like 17 or 18-years-old. That’s a long time.” The video, called ‘Red Table Talks’, was made by Will Smith’s production company Overbrook Entertainment and was posted online for Mother’s Day in the US, which was yesterday . Jada reassures her mother that she holds no resentment towards her, reassuring her: “I don’t look at the experience that we had as bad. I turned all of that into power. So I used those things

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as motivation.” Adrienne doesn’t say what kind of drugs she used, but reassured her loved ones she has been clean for over 20 years. She added: “I went into therapy and I remember trying to get your mom to come with me and do some therapy sessions and she just wasn’t having it. I have been clean for 22 years.” While Jada went on to graduate from Baltimore School for the Arts in 1989, moved to Hollywood and became a film star. She has Willow, 11, and son Jaden, 13, with husband and fellow Hollywood star Will, but her daughter - who is a fledgling pop singer - doesn’t enjoy the implications their fame has. In the video, Willow says: “If I had to change one thing about my life, it would probably be, I wouldn’t be famous “Because when you’re famous it’s so hard.

Let’s say if a regular girl is going to the book store, it’s ten times harder to go everywhere when you’re famous.” — Agencies

that there were any rules that applied to how you have a family.” Katherine’s secret cross-US adoption of Adalaide was organised with the help of the family nanny, who sat several rows behind them on the flight home with the newborn to avoid suspicion. Katherine and Josh - who met in 2005 when she appeared in his music video ‘Only You’ - are now “in negotiations” over how many more children to have. She admitted: “I’d like two more; he thinks three’s a nice number, so we’ll see!”

36

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

lifest yle M u s i c

File photo shows Martin Gumba, a Kenyan director with cast members of a Somali film industry.

ove-struck teenagers, angry parents, rowing couples: Somali youth tired of seeing their homeland portrayed as a war-torn famine zone have started making films to show a different side to their country. “The world knows Somalia for war,” said Adirahman Ali Suge, a 19-year-old writer and film director, part of a group of refugee Somali film makers in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. “But we have love stories and drama to tell too.” Several films have been made so far along with a few soap operas. They are either in Somali, English or Swahili-the main language of east Africa-and net a few thousand dollars in profits at the most.

The shoe-string budget films of “Eastleighwood” — named after Nairobi’s bustling Somali district-is a world away from its namesake Hollywood, India’s Bollywood or Nigeria’s Nollywood-Africa’s biggest film industry. In central Africa, Nollywood movies are the only ones sold by market vendors as “African movies”, with the Nigerian productions dubbed into French in such countries as Cameroon and Gabon.

In Kenya, Nigerian films are also a hit-many of them broadcast on terrestrial networks-but face competition from Bollywood due to a historic large Indian population. However, Suge, who fled Somalia as a child shortly after the start of civil war in 1991 — still ongoing todaysees the similarities.

“I like to watch Bollywood movies, with all their singing and dancing, and that is in our films too,” he said, speaking as actors rehearsed the latest drama, set in a small shop plastered with posters of Indian movie stars. “In Somali culture, when a man and women love each, they sing to each other,” he added. “Love is something all over the world: we have it, they have it, so you really shouldn’t be surprised.”

The aim is to portray a “normal” Somalia than the usual television footage dominated by war, rebels and hunger. Cameraman Abuker Yusuf cites the Hollywood film “Black Hawk Down”-the story of the 1993 battle between US troop and Somali fighters in the capital Mogadishu. “Of course there is fighting in Somalia, that is true,” said Yusuf, aged 24, who fled Mogadishu for Ethiopia a decade ago, before later moving to Kenya. “But the films show normal life too, our daily lives.” Somalia’s war is far from over-regional armies are battling AlQaeda allied Shebab insurgents, while aid agencies fear a slip back to catastrophic humanitarian crisis that saw famine zones declared in several regions last year.

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‘Films important for peace in Somalia’ But Martin Gumba, a Kenyan director who in 2010 helped set up the youth groups to make films and act, believes the fledgling industry is important for young people to look towards a more peaceful future. “People need a platform to tell their own story, to allow their hopes and dreams,” Gumba said. “Mainstream media is not a fair representation... you hardly ever see Somalia images unless it is of con-

ustralians are enjoying a high profile at Cannes this year, but beyond the star power of Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue, the film world will be watching the ground-breaking work of Aboriginal artists. Indigenous stories have breathed new life into the film scene Down Under, with “The Sapphires” the latest to come to international attention with a screening in official selection at the French festival that kicks off tomorrow. Actor Deborah Mailman, who stars in the feel-good feature about an all-girl singing group plucked from a remote Aboriginal community to play for Australian troops serving in Vietnam, is delighted with the response.

“Yes, it’s huge. It’s a really great acknowledgement,” she told AFP at the launch of Sydney’s Film Festival, just days before jetting out for Europe. “There’s obviously something in the film that they went, ‘Yeah, we want

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Australian indigenous actors Deborah Mailman and Jimi Bani, stars of the film ‘Mabo’, pose prior to the Sydney Film Festival Program launch in Sydney on May 9, 2012. — AFP this, and we want it on the world stage’. So it’s wonderful that that’s been recognised. And we are very proud of this film, no matter what.” Mailman is a household name in Australia for her many television roles and appearances in films such as the musical comedy “Bran Nue Dae” and the historical drama “Rabbit Proof Fence”, starring Kenneth Branagh. But the 39-year-old, who in 1998 beat Cate Blanchett and Rachel Griffiths for the Australian Film Institute award for best actress, is still excited about heading to Cannes for the first time.

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M o v i e s

File photo shows cast members of a Somali film industry christened “Eastleigwood” rehearsing a scene at the production studio in Nairobi’s Eastleigh suburb.

flict, hunger or piracy.” But the film makers have to be careful. While hardline Shebab appear to be on the backfoot militarily, the extremists remain influential and have outlawed the watching of films and football, as well as clamping down on non-religious music. Films are screened in public in Eastleigh, before being sold on DVDs, with some copies of the movies being taken back to Mogadishu following

File photo shows a cast member of a Somali film industry .—AFP photos the Shebab’s pullout from fixed positions there last year.

“There have been private screenings in Mogadishu, but small ones because people still fear Al-Shebab,” said Gumba. “Some people don’t like it and you have to be careful... but it is the voice of a people showing the better side of their country.” Sales of the DVDs are raising money for Eastleighwood’s first feature length film, which is currently in the planning stages, with filming hoped to start later this year. The planned film, titled “Green Oasis”, revolves around a family hit by drought and conflict and how they are forced to migrate. The hopedfor budget is a stunning 100 million Kenyan shillings (about one million euros) and its backers hope to raise the money from private financiers and film institutes.

Some of the Somali films have been broadcast on Kenyan televi-

“My head, everything is still catching up with the idea of it,” she said. From the 1980s film “Crocodile Dundee” about a knife-wielding bushman to Baz Luhrmann’s 2008 sweeping romantic epic “Australia”, Australian films have long featured Aboriginal characters. But a batch of films being created by indigenous artists is reinvigorating the industry, and in 2009 “Samson and Delilah”, a heartbreaking love story set in a remote indigenous community, won the Camera d’Or at Cannes. Australians will have a strong influence in France again this year, with Kidman starring in “The Paperboy” by US director Lee Daniels as well as Philip Kaufman’s “Hemingway and Gellhorn”, which will be shown out of competition.

Singer Kylie Minogue stars opposite Eva Mendes in “Holy Motors” by Leos Carax, and two Australian directors Andrew Dominik (“Killing Them Softly”) and John Hillcoat (“Lawless”) are competing for the top Palme d’Or prize. Australian filmmaker Cate Shortland, whose 2004 debut feature “Somersault” was shown in Cannes, said the indigenous input is part of the reason that Australian film is performing so well. “The issues that everybody is going through are international issues-about people not going to the cinema as much, and also the amount of money that is put into the blockbusters as promotion so the smaller arthouse films sometimes slip away.

“But I would say that the industry in Australia at the moment seems quite robust and what I am really interested in is the diversity, and the strength of the indigenous work.” Shortland, whose latest work “Lore” is a German-language film shot entirely in Europe and set at the end of the war in 1945, is pleased about the success of “The Sapphires”. “It’s fantastic for all of us to be represented in an international market,” she said. Queenslandborn Mailman, who grew up in the isolated mining town of Mount Isa, is proud of her work with indigenous artists, including a new movie about a landmark land rights case “Mabo” which is premiering at the Sydney festival.

“There’s nothing better than working with my mob.

And I mean that from my heart,” she said. “It’s great to be telling a story that’s from us, that’s been directed by us, and that is telling our stories.” She said it was hard to put a label on the work coming out now. “That’s a great thing-you can’t define it. You’re getting all these directors who have been working for years... suddenly finding their particular story-telling skills. “I think what you see is people coming into their own craft. Which is where indigenous film may be heading.” — AFP

File photo shows cast and crew members of a Somali film industry christened ‘Eastleigwood’ taking a break following the filming of a scene on location.

sion stations but profits in general are however held back by a different form of a problem that Somalia has become infamous for in the outside world: piracy. “It is a big issue,” Gumba said, adding that pirated copies of the films circulate a week after the films are released.

Filming is done in Eastleigh’s muddy streets and amid the crowded high rise buildings here, with actors weaving in and out of the crowds

File photo shows cameraman Abuker Yusuf on location. at the street markets selling fried spicy snacks, heaps of bananas and piles of melons. “The people here look Somali, they are Somali,” said actress Hibo Abdi, waving at the busy pavements crowded with women dressed in the flowing and colourful dresses and headscarves worn in Somalia.” When we want to set a scene in Mogadishu, then we go to a slum area to make it authentic,” Suge added. “But conflict is the background-the story is of life.” — AFP

dam Lambert isn’t coming off “American Idol” or a racy American Music Awards performance, nor is he declaring his sexuality in Rolling Stone or posing with a nude model in Details magazine. The 30-year-old glam rocker doesn’t mind the lack of a media thunderstorm ahead of todday’s launch of his sophomore album: He relishes the element of surprise. Lambert is hoping to achieve it with “Trespassing,” on which he teamed up with the likes of Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams and Dr. Luke. It’s the follow-up to “For Your Entertainment,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard charts in 2009, the same year he finished as the runner-up in the “Idol” contest.

“I had time to make this album,” said Lambert, who cowrote many of the songs on “Trespassing” and served as its executive producer. “I do feel that sonically, lyrically and emotionally, this album is a surprise for people - and myself.”

“Trespassing” is evenly divided between club-ready rhythmic pop tracks and a collection of moody melodic showcases for the vocal acrobatics that made Lambert a front-runner on the eighth season of “Idol.” During a recent interview with The Associated Press, Lambert recollected on his life after reality TV.

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AP: What’s it been like for you over the past year after the “Idol” maelstrom died down?

Lambert: In that time, I fell in love (with Finnish “Big Brother” winner Sauli Koskinen), which is great. I have an amazing relationship. I also got to spend a lot more time with my friends and family. Over the past year, besides taking time to write and record the album, I’ve had a lot of downtime, which has been really nice to live a real life again - or what seems like one - and I think that really informed my writing process and experience making the album. I was writing from a place with a little more perspective.

AP: How did that affect your creative process?

Lambert: Coming back to real life was a bit of shock. You kind of have to decompress, and I had some failed romantic situations, and I was a bit tired and worn out, so at the beginning of the writing process, there was some darkness I was working through, which was great. It was real. It was visceral.

Then, I got in my relationship, I started relaxing and having more time to myself with my friends and wanting to go out again - shopping, rediscovering culture and life.

AP: What’s dating been like for you now that you’re in the public eye?

Lambert: Dating while famous is a different animal. It’s a different set of challenges. It’s a new reality. It makes you potentially more desirable to this, that and the other person, but you also have to deal with, “Does this person have ulterior Adam Lambert poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. Lambert’s new album ‘Trespassing’ will be released today. — AP

motives? What is the real reason for the attraction?” There’s all sorts of other layers, and for someone like me who thinks far too much and is neurotic, that can get a little maddening after a while.

AP: What do you think about the reaction to your arrest in Finland late last year (Lambert and his boyfriend were involved in a bar fight)?

Lambert: I think that seemed like a natural reaction. That’s the reality of the situation when famous people have a bad night. It turns into a big deal. It’s par for the course. Luckily, no one was injured and everything was fine. It wasn’t that big of a deal.

AP: What do you think about the explosion of singing contests like “The Voice” and “The X Factor”? They weren’t around when you were on “Idol.”

Lambert: I think that it’s great that there are shows out there giving people that platform. It’s really difficult to make it in the music industry. These shows are great because they show what the person is capable of and their journey and process of becoming an artist. ... I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be a slight disconnect there. Hopefully, they’re fixing that.

AP: You’re a visual performer on par with Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Did you think about that kind of thing when you were writing and recording?

Lambert: It’s part of it. I come from the performing arts. I have all my life. Being on stage is part of what makes me tick and is my inspiration. When I created a lot of these songs, I would think of the visuals in my head: “How would I stage this?

What would the music video look like? What would I wear?

What colors are going on? What things are happening?” I’m a very visual person. Some people create a soundtrack in their head, but I create a movie in my head to my soundtrack. — AP

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TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Kuwait in the memoirs of an American Adventurer

By Mahmoud Zakaria

Yusef Al-Ibraheem one of the most famous and richest merchants of Kuwait in the past. He was on board the ship that carried the author on its way to Kuwait (died 1906).

The cover of the book ‘With Star and Crescent’ by A Locher.

Baghalahs were the basis of maritime transport in Kuwait and some countries in the Arabian Gulf.

Front side of an astrolabe, with the type of which Ahmad Ibn Majid may have been familiar, since such astrolabes were sometimes used on land for establishing the latitudes of ports of call.

Kuwait in 1868 A. Locher is an American adventurer who visited the Gulf region in 1868 on the way to Iraq. The purpose of his trip was to buy a good breed of horses for Napoleon III (1852-1870). He began his journey from west India on board the merchant vessel ‘Pennank’ from the port of Mzitjon and headed to their hometown, then to the coast of Oman, and then crossed the strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf. The ship sailed to Kuwait as the first steam boat to anchor at this isolated port. He had the opportunity to be a guest for one day of independent ruler - the Sheikh of Kuwait Sheikh Abdulla II (the fifth ruler ) who ruled from 1865 to 1891.

Locher described the facts of his journey in a book published by Latina Company for Publication in Philadelphia in 1890. It contained sketches named “WITH STAR AND CRESCENT.” It is considered a previously unaccredited writing of Kuwait . This journey is important to document and highlight the features of political and social life in Kuwait, in mid-nineteenth century.

Locher narrates his observations of Kuwait in the fourth chapter of the book. Now let us sail through time to enjoy the reaction of a place and people from a mysterious spot which is known as ‘Kuweit.’

“It being the first time a mail steamer had touched there ,the reason of our doing so was that, among our passengers was a very rich Arab merchant who had several hundred bales of piece goods on board which he had bought in Bombay. He was a close relative of Sheikh of Kuweit, who promised the company all assistance of the Sheikh to allow the ship to dock once a month at the port of Kuweit. On entering the harbor, the steamer fired three guns, which echoed loudly over the calm. The shots attracted at once the attention of the inhabitants of the little town, who all flocked to the beach, with this exception -there reigned a real calm everywhere, not a single boat being visibly afloat in any direction though we could see a great many of them drawn high and dry upon the shore , looking in the distance very much like huge alligators basking in the rays of the boiling sun.

Soon we observe a number of half naked men pouring out of a large decent looking building near the shore which proved to be the Sheikh s residence. They boarded a boat and turned towards us. They are about ten or twelve stalwart Arabs, naked to the waist, made straight for the steamer. The boat was crowded with fine looking men in gaudy colored, Bedouin dresses, armed profusely with immensely long, single barreled guns and pistols with flint locks ‘scimitars’,’ yataghans’ and daggers.

These heavily armed men formed the body guard of the Sheikh, who on coming alongside stepped out of his cabin, and came on board the steamer, where he was received by his relative, the Arab merchant (it is said to be Yusef AlEbraheem). They embraced in the usual Arab manners by kissing each other on both shoulders. The merchant then introduced the Captain to the Sheikh, and acted as interpreter.

The Sheikh was tall, muscular man, with handsome features, and flowing silver beard. He was over eighty years of age, had a very intelligent face and was profusely polite in his speech and Eastern manners. He wore a magnificent, silk Arabian costume and over his shoulders hung an ‘abba’ or a mantle of purple color richly embroidered with gold. He was accompanied by a crowed of followers, all in splendid costume, among of them we saw several young blacks carrying the Sheikh’s ‘scimitar’ or curved sword that is richly jeweled.

Another young black carried his ‘narghileh.’ Two others carried his ‘shattabs’ or long Turkish pipes called ‘chibooks’ by the Turkish. It was evident that the Sheikh was prepared for the visit, he solicited a view of the interior of the steamer. He seemed highly pleased with the engine. Sounds he had never been on board of one, nor did ever any one come ashore from these vessels. The Sheikh having partaken of some refreshment with us in the saloon, consisting of a cup strong pure coffee in oriental style and some sweet, invited the Captain and all European passengers to dine with him and spend the night on shore, an invitation which the Captain accepted. Being urgently requested to accompany him, we went along.

On our arrival, we found the beach crowded with people and we should certainly have been crushed by the crowd ,so eager were they to catch a glimpse of ‘Feringhies,’ or Frankies (Europeans). Many of them especially the females, had probably never seen such creatures in their lives before. Then we arrived safely at the Sheikh’s resi-

dence, a strong, square, brick building.

We were led by the Sheikh into his saloon, when entering the Sheikh’s room, us being invited by the Sheikh to take a seat. We seated ourselves crosslegged in true oriental style, the captain starting a fresh conversation with our host, the Arab merchant being interpreter .’Narghiehs’ and ‘shattabs’ filled with fragrant tobacco and ready lighted were brought by the blacks ,and we puffed away right lustily. Presently, a slave brought a heavy silver censer resembling a candelabra, from which emanated a most delicious perfume, and placed it in the middle of the room.

Other slaves waving large fans of ostrich feathers, gently stirring the perfumed air and driving away the innumerable flies. Others again made their appearance, each bearing a little silver tray, on which stood five or six tiny gold goblets filled with excellent but very strong coffee, a delicious Persian drink. Wine and

camels which they rear on the oases above mentioned. Their camels are celebrated throughout Arabia for their great speed and endurance, as are their snowwhite donkeys.

The women of Kuweit are reputed for their industry and skill at all sorts of handiwork such as knitting, spinning, weaving etc, as well as for their good looks. They being considered even by the Turks and Persians as by far the handsomest women along the Persian Gulf.

On our return to the Sheikh’s residence, we found still sitting crosslegged on the very spot where we had left him, engaged in giving orders to his slaves, who were making preparation to serve up dinner. The table, if I may call it so, was already laid in the shape of an Indian straw mat of fine texture, about feet square, spread on the rich Persian carpet, which covered the floor. Many silver goblet was put on the table con-

to leave to perform his prayer and ablutions. During his absence, we conversed about our day’s interesting experience.

On his return, he invited us to accompany him to a flat roof of the house, which throughout Arabia is the usual place of promenade - it being the best place to enjoy the evening breeze. The roof also serves as dormitory for the inhabitants, who are compelled by the excessive heat of the atmospheres to sleep on top of these houses. The whole population of Kuweit seemed to have assembled on their roofs to enjoy the refreshing breeze which wafted gently across the bay.

The scene before us was one of great interest. Here was a believer, still engaged in earnest prayer. There, a young couple whispering the soft tale of love. Further on, a mother tending to her children ,and Arab maidens singing their melodiously plaintive songs. There, out of the desert, several solitary travel-

The ways of the people in the past at sun rise. You can see the builder, the water carrier, the crowd at the bakery, the woman selling bajila (horse -beans) sitting with her pot near the mosque by Kuwaiti artist Ayoub Hossin. spirits of any kind being strictly forbidden to true believers by the Koran.

Finally, it becoming unendurable, we resolved to take a walk to see the town when the Sheikh ordered the eight guards should attend us. We found the town greatly resembling Muscat, but differing from that city in regard to cleanliness.

‘El kuweit or Kurein’ is situated about forty miles due south from the mouth of the Shatt Al-Arab, its seaport containing from 15 to 20,000 inhabitants almost exclusively Arabs. The climate of Kuweit is fearfully hot, the town being surrounded on the north, south and west by the dismal desert ‘El-Dahna.’ So hot

taining a sour of milk called ‘laban’ by the Arabs. But from what animal it came or where the Sheikh got it, I was at loss to know, for we had seen neither cow, sheep, mare or female camel in the whole town. We were afterwards told that it was milk of camels which are kept in large numbers by the Kuweities at one of the above mentioned oases in the desert.

We were naturally anxious to see the Sheikh and his enterprising nephew handle for the first time in their lives, these implements of civilized gastronomy. Dinner was served in superb style, the slaves bring in an immense variety of dishes consisting of boiled goats,

ers, on foot, on horseback and on camels, the dark forms of which contrasted strangely with the golden horizon in the background.

Our host had provided us with silken couches on which we fanned all night by the gentle sea-breeze .We slept so soundly that the Sheikh was obliged to waken us in the morning for fear that the powerful rays of the rising sun might fall on our faces ere we rose-a thing much dreaded by all the Arabs . As it invariably causes intense headache to the inconsiderate sleeper.

Looking around, we saw the jollyboat from the steamer already waiting for us at the beach, which hastened our

Imaginatory drawing by Kuwaiti artist (Badr Al Qettami) of the fort from which Kuwait’s name derived from.

The date of its establishment is most likely dated to 1670. and barren indeed is the neighborhood of Kuweit that with the exception of the Sheikh’s little garden in the courtyard of the residence, not a tree, shrub, or even blade of grass is visible either in or out of the town as far as the eye can reach.

There are said to be some small oases in the desert, within thirty miles of the town, scattered here and there, like islands in the ocean.

Kuweities obtain their supplies of vegetable food from Bassorah, near the mouth of the Shatt Al-Arab. They bring whole cargoes of rice, dates, coffee, barley, corn, straw etc in their bagalows.

These bagalows are heavy, roughly built sail boats, carrying from 50 to 250 tons of cargo.

The male inhabitants of Kuweit are nearly all either merchants or sailors, trading with Bassorah, and the Persian coast, or with the wild Bedouin tribes of the desert in pearls, frankincense, firearms, ammunition, cloth, saddles, carpets etc for skins, sheep’s wool, camel’s hair, gum Arabic, coffee, dates etc. Many of the inhabitants raise herds of sheep, horses, donkeys, goats and

flesh a lamb roasted whole, camel’s meat, chiken, three varieties of fish.

Besides there was a profuse supply of vegetables and fruit indigenous to Arabia but brought from Bassorah.

When all was served, our host ,taking his seat, motioned us to do the same, and helped himself first to a portion of every dish, not from want of courtesy, but because it is the Arabian custom, to show that the food has not been tampered with or poisoned. As soon as these tasting formalities had been done with by our host, we all fell to and helped ourselves to ‘a discretion’ to everything. The conversation came to a pause for a while till the dinner was nearly over; the Sheikh and his relative amusing us hugely by the extremely awkward manner in which they handled their forks and spoons, being evidently much more used to eating with their fingers.

Dinner being ended, we resumed our pipes, coffee and sherbet, which were served as before. By this time, the day was far advanced and the sun fast disappearing in the west, compelling our host

departure. After cordially thanking our host for his sumptuous hospitality, which brought a beam of sunshine over his stern and swarthy face, the Captain promised to use all his powers of persuasion to cause Kuweit henceforth to be made a regular place of calling for the company’s steamers. The Sheikh accompanied us to the beach. After we arrived on board once more, the Captain ordered a parting salute of three guns to be fired and we steamed out of the harbor. The Sheikh, as a matter of politeness remained on the beach surrounded by his people, till we had disappeared from his sight.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

lifestyle T r a v e l

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adies, this one is for you! The rising number of female business travellers in recent years has made Crowne Plaza Kuwait sit up and take notice. We have sensed and understood that due to this industry trend, there would be a need for more feminine room requirements that are often lacking in today’s “copy/paste” hotel accommodations.

Says Maya Taher, Director of Front Office Operations, “In the past, single female travellers were few and far between. This is no longer the case, and as such, the demand fostered the creation of a fully-fledged ‘SIS - Stay in Style’ room.”

When a woman chooses to stay at the five-star Crowne Plaza Hotel Kuwait, she is opting for a safe, reliable and comfortable home away from home. She is assured of a friendly environment, especially more so for newcomers to the city. Our female guests will also enjoy free airport transfers and use of the hotel car service. For the single woman traveller, the hotel also ensures that the rooms are serviced and catered to exclusively by female staff.

Particular feminine requirements such as dedicated TV channels, magazines, full-length mirrors & magnified makeup mirrors, special bed set up and bathroom toiletries, hair care and accessories as well as dedicated healthy mini-bar snacks and drinks are provided especially for women travellers in their rooms.

RamyHaykal, the General Manager opined, “Industry experts put the figure of women travellers staying at luxury hotels in this part of the world at around 15 % on average; and confirm that it’s part of a growing trend. Being sensitive to the needs of the female traveller is a good concept. Women are special and at the Crowne Plaza we would like them to experience this WOW factor when they choose to stay here.”

The International Women’s Group and esteemed press and media attended the “Stay in Style” room launch. The event was held at Viaggio where they were treated to a high tea, a “Stay in Style” room show around and soulful music. The IWG and the media expressed their best wishes on the development of this unique concept in rooms by Crowne Plaza Kuwait. Crowne PlazaHotel Kuwait invites all lady travellers to experience the new ladies facilities - “Stay in Style”.

RamyHaykal, General Manager of Crowne Plaza is pictured with his staff.

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here’s new glamour in the slammer. Tours are booming for Michigan’s most famous lockup city, with visitors coming from across the state and beyond to go on the Jackson Historic Prison Tour. Its highlight: the infamous 7Block at the former State Prison of Southern Michigan. It closed in 2007. The eerie 7-Block, still part of a razor-wire enclosed campus with four other active prisons, echoes with drama. It’s where Dr. Jack Kevorkian stayed when he first arrived — cell 82, level three — and where hundreds of men, women and children were held on a single night during the 1967 Detroit riot.

Judy Gail Krasnow stands in front of a mural designed by Jean Weir and Hector Trujillo of the historic prison in Jackson.

Jackson’s prisons are a potential tourism gold mine. Her tour garnered just 400 tourists in 2008 but 3,200 last year. This year, “we already have almost 50 tours booked.”

Like California’s Alcatraz, Jackson has endless prison stories just waiting to be told. “I want to raise the spirit of Jackson’s prison past,” Krasnow said . “It’s not an embarrassment. It’s history.” In the stark symmetry of the prison building known as 7-Block, it’s easy to imagine bad things happening. Rails are garish yellow. Bars are white. The floor is grim gray. There are windows, but the light is filtered, like at a cheap motel, so you can’t see

An artist’s studio is seen inside the historic state prison in ackson, Michigan. The room would have been about two cells inside the facility when it opened in 1842. Tours are available of the original prison and Block 7 on the grounds of the current prison in Jackson. — MCT photos

Visitors can sit in the creepy cells, smell the dank air, read the blue-cover prison rule books still attached to the cell bars and imagine life for the 515 prisoners held there. One thing visitors can’t do? Take pictures. To see 7-Block, you have to come in person. Judy Gail Krasnow, the tour founder who worked with the state to add 7-Block as part of her historical prison tour last year, said

out. You go through a door into the yard; looped razor wire menaces from atop every fence.

Nobody would ever want to come here. Except as a tourist, of course.

“I loved it. I loved the way it looked like the prisons you see on TV, but you can see it in person,” said Jan Herrick of Kalamazoo, Mich. “For some reason, prisons really fascinate me.” They fascinate others, too. From West Virginia to California, prison tours are drawing crowds.

Since the Jackson Historic Prison Tour added the visit to 7-Block at the former State Prison of Southern Michigan last year, interest has spiked, said Judy Gail Krasnow, tour founder. “People like to see the real thing. A lot of the fascination is, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’” That said, the four-and-a-half-hour tour has to be one of the strangest prison tours _ and one of the strangest tours, period — in the world. You see two prisons, two art studios and the tour guide’s apartment. There are odd juxtapositions

An empty prison in Jackson, Michigan, one of the state’s oldest facilities is seen.

— you eat a turkey sandwich, visit a painter in his bright studio, then go to the basement to see 19th-century, solitary- confinement cells. You take a bus 2 miles north to Blackman Township’s prison complex and see 7-Block, which looks ancient but actually was in use until five years ago. Krasnow interviewed former warden Charles Anderson and former inmates to learn the cellblock’s inside stories.

(In 1981, the Detroit Free Press’ Taro Yamasaki won a Pulitzer Prize for photographing life inside the prison, including 7-Block.) Besides the visit to 7-Block, here are tour highlights: Michigan’s First State Prison: All tours begin at Jackson’s original prison, which operated from 1838 to 1934. It has been remodeled as the Armory Arts Village, with 62 apartments and artists studios.

In this old prison, inmates wore ball and chains on the grounds and labored in prison factories.

Living conditions were primitive. In one wing, 328 men lived in tiny cells with no electricity, heat, ventilation or plumbing.

The prison had a band, a baseball team, a newspaper and a lot of interaction with the community.

“Mothers brought their daughters to get their wedding dresses made at the prison tailor shop,” Krasnow said. “Prisoners made exquisite furniture.”

Although Michigan abolished capital punishment in 1846, some conditions likely were worse than death.

Investigators once found that 20 men had been confined for 17 years straight in solitary confinement. When inspectors got them out, “nine couldn’t talk, all were malnourished and six died right away,” Krasnow said. “Everyone was thrown into solitary for two weeks to break their spirit.

They didn’t care if you stole a loaf of bread or murdered someone.”

The chance to see the old prison appealed to Carol Vandenberg of Kalamazoo. Her grandfather, Walter Stoops, was an inmate there in the 1920s.

“I never met him, but I’d always heard there was a black sheep in the family,” she said. “I couldn’t pass up this trip.”

• Artists’ studios. Lou Cubille and Carol A. Kent welcome tourists in their studios.

• Krasnow’s apartment. Her two-level apartment is the size of 36 prison cells. Yes, she has sensed ghosts in the apartment, or did until she put up a crucifix _ even though she’s Jewish.

• ”The building is 174 years old, so if the spirits have seeped into the brick and floors, that’s understandable,” Krasnow said. Some of her tours are for paranormal groups.

• Old Prison Gift Shop: Opened in April, it fea-

Although it is now a resident/artist community, the original metal bars remain on the windows at the old Jackson State Prison.

tures artwork by former prison inmates, a prison cookbook and T-shirts that say, “I spent time in Jackson (Michigan ).”—MCT

If you go The Jackson Historic Prison Tour runs through Oct. 31 and takes participants to Michigan’s First State Prison (1838-1934), now the Armory Arts Village, and 7-Block (1934-2007) at the former State Prison of Southern Michigan.

Tours last three and a half to four and a half hours, depending on the itinerary, and are by appointment only. The minimum group size is four, and no child younger than 9 will be allowed.

Tickets are $35 per person; groups of 20 or more can get discounts and a package price that includes lunch.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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K, you walked in the ocean and got sand in your picnic snacks.

Now what? There’s more than beach to see on the North Carolina coast. Check out these one-of-a-kind attractions for a surfside side trip that’s amazing, fun for the family-and inexpensive.

Aurora: Pick-youryer-own fossils The Aurora Fossil Museum owes roughly 90 percent of its collection to the PotashCorp.-Aurora complex nearby. The phosphate mine makes a point of digging up what geologists call the Pungo River Formation, a gray layer found beneath 30 to 40 feet of sand and clay.

That stratum was a sea floor 7seven to 23 million years ago. Just as now, the waters were relatively warm and shallow. A wide variety of primitive creatures lived and died here, and it was a hotbed for tiny animals whose remains decomposed into phosphates-a main ingredient of fertilizer.

From time to time, two sandbox-size piles of this prehistoric mine slag are dumped across the street from the museum in a little park. You’re free to go picking through it for fossils. The museum hands out a sheet with little photos that identify 27 of the most common pile finds. Kids have a field day rummaging through the mound, delighted to find something.

The pile’s pocket-size artifacts are genuine turned-to-stone fossils. The Aurora Fossil Festival is May 25-27.

Aurora Fossil Museum admission: free. Details: 252-322-4238; www.aurorafossilmuseum.com Beaufort: Island of wild horses Down at the Beaufort, N.C., waterfront, buy a round-trip ticket ($18; $10 for kids) to Shackleford Banks, where humans haven’t lived for a century. The island’s notable residents today are 100-plus wild horses descended (depending on whom you ask) from shipwrecked Spanish steeds or 19th-century Carolinians. They’re the masters of this nine9-mile isle in the National Park Service’s Cape Lookout National Seashore.

They’re small but full-grown. Be careful and don’t get too close: They’re wild. Approach them slowly, with caution and from downwind.

From 30 feet, you can spot their feral appearance, their untended manes and tails matted into dreadlocks by Mother Nature. (Get horse-watching tips at http://1.usa.gov/IqvdVX).

The wind-and-wave-swept island is great, by the way, for seashells: Bring a bag.

Bring a timepiece, too. If you miss the ferry, you’ll be stranded. And carry a water bottle: The only non-saltwater is in horse ponds.

Ferry info: 252-728-7555; www.islandferryadventures.com, 252-7287555. Shackleford info: 252-728-2250O; www.nps.gov/calo; 252-7282250O. Portsmouth: Ghost town by the sea Southbound N.C. 12 stops on Ocracoke Island, across the channel from Portsmouth Island. And that’s where the ghost town is. For close to a century, Portsmouth, on Ocracoke Inlet, was on a major trading route to the mainland ports. But in the 1840s, a storm opened up the deeper Hatteras channel and the village’s economy gradually wasted away. The last two residents left in 1971.

When Cape Lookout National Seashore was set up five years later, Portsmouth’s 250-acre historic district was put on the National Register of

Historic Places. Wander the quiet streets and go into a house that serves as the visitor center; the post office/store, Methodist church, schoolhouse and live-saving station; the rest-the other homes are closed. There are a handful of cemeteries. And, in season, squadrons of hungry mosquitoes.

To get there, board the state ferry at Ocracoke (www.ncdot.gov/ferry) for the half-hour ride. Reach Ocracoke via the state ferry from Swan Creek or Cedar Island. The voyage across Pamlico Sound ($15 per car, one way) will take up to 2 { hours.

Details: 252-728-2250; www.nps.gov/calo. Also: www.friendsofportsmouthisland.org.

Carolina Beach: Weird animals, stranger plants

Ocracoke: Entering British territory At Ocracoke, you can leave the United States and enter 2,290 square feet of British territory. It’s the British Cemetery, a sad legacy from World War II. In 1942, German subs prowled the East Coast for merchant ships.

In the first six months of 1942, close to 400 ships were lost to German Uboats.

Our British allies sent ships over to protect New World commerce.

Among them was the Bedfordshire, a fishing trawler converted into an escort ship for convoy duty. The Bedfordshire was sunk by U-boat 558 on May 11. The entire crew of the Bedfordshire was lost, and three days later, a handful of bodies of crewmen began washing up on shore. They were buried in a corner of the Ocracoke cemetery later deeded to the

A wild stallion crosses a creek on Shackleford Banks. — MCT photos

Never know what you’ll find in the wild, but at 761-acre Carolina Beach State Park, just south of Wilmington, walk the half-mile Flytrap Trail to spot the rare, meat-eating Venus flytrap, only found naturally within a 75-mile radius of Wilmington.

Bugs are drawn to the color and aroma of its leaves; if the insect touches one little hair trigger, nothing happens. But when a second is touched, the leaf halves snap shut on it in a tenth of a second. It takes three to five days for the plant’s fluids to decompose its prey, then the leaf reopens. The park holds other botanical carnivores, by the way: pitcher plants, bladderworts, sundews and butterworts.

Unusual animal life includes reptiles: Carolina anoles, five-lined skinks and six-lined racerunners. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare gopher frog. Also rare-and there in summer-are painted buntings, a bird species that winters in the tropics. You can occasionally spy an alligator at the park marina. And don’t miss the 50-foot Sugarloaf sand dune that has served as a marker for Cape Fear mariners since 1663.

Admission: free. Hours: 8 am-8 pm daily; longer hours May-August.

Details: 910-458-8206; www.ncparks.gov (pick “Carolina Beach” from the “Find a park” menu).

The old Methodist church is one of the buildings you can walk into at Portsmouth, the ghost town on the Outer Banks.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission-so the sailors there can technically be buried in “home” soil. Though the British Cemetery is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard station at Ocracoke, a Union Jack flies over the graves.

At 11 am May 11 — the day in ‘42 the Bedfordshire was sunkAmerican and British military units held a memorial service for the sailors who were lost 70 years ago. — MCT

After the Olympics, explore England’s North Country

By Anne Z. Cooke

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bone-chilling rain swept over the moors on the October day we hiked to the top of the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall, a few miles south of the Scottish border. Gusts of wind, scouring the tumble-down ruins of the Second Century Roman barracks built on the summit drove most sensible people indoors. But the dark clouds and lowering sky, pelting the armory, shrine and sleeping quarters with rain, set the mood as nothing else could have done.

Shivering in my summer-weight parka-a last-minute purchase-I realized how tedious a tour of duty on these barren earthworks must have been. Our guide, Brian Posner, a history buff at the site now known as Housestead’s Fort, agreed. “After a long day in these comfortable double-soled hiking boots, I can’t help admiring the soldiers who marched for miles in flimsy sandals and defended the wall in all kinds of weather.” A retired doctor, Posner shook his head, imagining it.

“They were a long way from home, but they did have their comforts,” he added as we sipped hot cocoa in the Visitors’ Centre.

“The Romans garrisoned here had not only a hospital and an indoor latrine, but a bathhouse with hot water tubs and heated stone floors. “ With the 2012 Summer Olympics set for London this July, heritage sites throughout England are bracing for record crowds. Back in the day, it was the rare traveler who ventured this far from London, north to the Lake District, past the Peaks District and on to the rugged hills where the remains of the 73-mile-long wall, built in 123 AD, stretches from coast to coast.

The Petergate entrance through York’s 2.1 mile medieval walls, England’s longest city walls.

But in recent years, the region’s cultural and economic growth has made it a player, shifting industries, jobs and tourism northward. Along with a handful of other historic but out-of-the-way destinations, Hadrian’s Wall is a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nor will you have to tramp for miles to see it, as the Roman legions did. With Visitors’ Centres, guides, exhibits and facilities built at intervals, you can spend an hour or two here, or all day hiking along the northern-most frontier.

Skipping London altogether, we flew nonstop to Manchester’s modern International Airport and rented a car, heading north to a hotel in Hexam, near the wall. Auto travel on the area’s two-lane roads used to take forever. Not anymore. You can drive from

Manchester to York in two to three hours on a fast, multi-lane freeway, with exits at any town you might want to visit.

In minutes we were off and wandering along quiet country roads, feeling like horse-and-carriage passengers in a 19th century period film. Our typical day might start with a castle visit and a cathedral tour followed by a side-of-the-road trailhead and a path to a trout stream. Or it might include a sightseeing drive between farms divided by stone walls, views of heather-covered moors and hillside sheep pastures. Each noon we’d break for a pub lunch of shepherd’s pie, fish and chips or a quiche, with a pint of beer on tap. By late afternoon we were ready for a hot soak in our hotel room, a good meal and a warm bed. These were our A-list entries: One: Durham, home of Durham Castle and Cathedral, also a World Heritage Site. The Castle, a medieval fortress built by William the Conquerer in 1072, is still the heart of Durham University and more surprising, a student residence. “Imagine yourself as a new student here, trying to fall asleep amongst a thousand years of stone walls and gloomy ghosts,” said Karen, our guide.

The cathedral, built between 1080 and 1280 to house St. Cuthbert’s coffin, shamelessly mixes intricately painted and colored columns with geometric designs and flamboyant carvings, mostly likely a visual treat for parishioners then, and for tourists now. A thin black marble line in front of the nave was the medieval woman’s glass ceiling: only males could cross it to approach the altar.

Two: Hadrian’s Wall. Enough said.

Three: Carlisle’s stone-cold fortified castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Chilly and impregnable.

Four: A ride on the Carlisle-to-Settle Railway, running south through the Yorkshire Dales. A famously scenic trip, it crosses the North Pennine hills offering close-ups of every lumpy fell (hill) and dell (valley), sparsely dotted by tiny villages and shot-through by limestone caves. And what luck we had that day, finding ourselves sharing a pair of seats and a table with the Crabtrees, pensioners coming home from Scotland.

As the train rolled south, Derek, a retired newspaperman, showed us things we would surely have missed, describing the geology and identifying Penyghent, the highest peak and the first challenge of the annual “Three Peaks” foot race. “It’s a “fell” (hill) race,” he said, attracting competitors from a dozen countries.

Passing the best-known of many limestone caves, Derek described the unnerving sensation of being lowered by rope and harness into a hole so deep that you touched bottom in total darkness. Marian pointed out an occasional village square or favorite restaurant. When the couple disagreed about the location of a particular statue, the discussion took a spirited he-said, she-said turn, until Derek saw the better part of valor. “All right, clever clogs,” he said affectionately. “You tell us.”

Five: Two nights at the Devonshire Arms, a deluxe country hotel and former coaching inn in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

With the inn as base camp, we drove hither and yon over the Dales, lingering to photograph canal boats passing through a set of locks and hiking to Malham Cove, a meadowy-green, glacier-gouged valley at the head of a vertical cliff. Climbing up past unavoidable “danger, wet rocks” signs, we spotted a commotion ahead and a rescue team responding to a fatality.

“We get a couple dozen of these every year,” said Graham, the team leader, as his crew strapped a canvas-wrapped body onto a stretcher. “People get right up to the top edge there,” he paused to point to the cliff top, “and they don’t realize how slick wet limestone can be.”

Travellers gather on Durham’s town square, near the parish church tower.

The Carlisle-Settle Scenic Railway stops near the canal in Skipton, near Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Six: Taking the mark of the ancient city of York and of its soaring Gothic Church the Yorkminster. Driving east, we reached York by late afternoon and checked into the Dean Court hotel inside the medieval walls. The inner city, divided by narrow lanes, took us back a thousand years. It’s also a-bustle with time-tested tourist enterprises: restaurants, gift shops and souvenirs stores selling tshirts, tea towels and tea cozies.

But I won’t forget waking up to the sun sliding down the Cathedral’s lacy towers and to hear the bells toll vespers. We were there in time to hear the choir sing evensong and fortunate to find seats beside them, in the stalls. Tour guide Wendy Brooks said that the thousands of stones in this massive pile aren’t held together by conventional mortar but simply by gravity. Each layer of rock holds the layer below in place, with nothing between them but a soupy coat of pulverized stone to fill the gaps. I still can’t believe it.

York’s most popular tour is the “Jorvik” experience, a Disneystyle kid-friendly theme park channeling the first Viking settlement. The 45-minute narrated ride takes time travelers (that’s you) back to 975 A.D. to reveal dimly lit scenes of gritty Viking life, followed by a self-guided walk through a Viking village peopled by costumed docents. Simon Watt, 27, aka “Omagh the rafen,” was sitting so still at his work bench we thought he was a mannequin. “It means I’m a coin striker,” he said smiling. “This coin is a penniga, a Viking penny. If I cut it into quarters, each will be a fourth of a thing, or a farthing,” he explained. Well, well, another bit of lore.

“A week isn’t enough,” said Liz Clayton at the Devonshire Arms.

“You’ll miss more than you’ve seen. But like any good appetizer, it leaves you hungry for more. When you’re ready, we’ll be here.”

If you go Staying there The Devonshire Arms Country Inn & Spa, at Bo1ton Abbey, is near Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales. Now a five-star luxury retreat, it belongs to the Duke of Devonshire’s farm estates. Dining on fine cuisine with attentive service in the award-winning restaurant is a treat for royalty. Miles of walking paths surround the inn. Prices per person, per night, for two sharing a room midweek, start at $436 and include full breakfast and VAT tax. Parking is free. See www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk.

The Dean Court Hotel, across from the Yorkminster, in York is a boutique hotel in a historic brick building. Prices per double room for two start at $224 and include full breakfast. Hotel parking is $13 per day. The Dean Court belongs to England’s Best Western luxury group. See www.deancourt-york.co.uk.

Fun facts: For travel in Britain and links to heritage sites go to www.visitbritain.us.—MCT

Somali movie industry films love, not war

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012

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A woman takes a picture of a friend as they visit the exhibition “David Hockney, a Bigger Picture”, yesterday, at the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. The exhibition, the first one in Spain dedicated to Hockney’s landscapes, shows about 150 paintings, drawings, iPad prints and video installations created since 2004, and will be open untill September 30, 2012, in the Northern Spanish Basque city of Bilbao. — AFP

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melling excrement may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but for those who like to push the boundaries, Australia’s most controversial new museum may be just what they are looking for. Dubbed “the subversive adult Disneyland”, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is located in Tasmania and features around 400 works of art from Egyptian mummies to Young British Artists including Chris Ofili and Jenny Saville. But the most talked-about piece is the Cloaca Professional, labelled the “poo-machine.” It was built by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye to mimic the actions of the human digestive system. A series of glass receptacles hang in a row with the machine being “fed” twice a day on one end. The food is ground up “naturally,” the way it is in the human body, and the device produces faeces on the clock at 2 pm at the other end. The smell is so powerful that not many visitors can take it. “It put me off because of the overwhelming assault on thesenses,” said Diane Malnic, a Sydney-based accountant.

Yet this was her second visit in five months, following a family holiday in Tasmania earlier in the year. This time, she flew without her husband and children just to have another look at the collection, interested in Delvoye’s other pieces. She took great care to avoid the “smelly” parts and still talked vividly about the “vomit room” which was part of an earlier exhibit no longer on display.

“I wouldn’t go back to see them,” she said, laughing.

The Cloaca is part of a series of at least five similar machines built by the artist, another of which will soon be exhibited at the Louvre. It is the most hated piece in the museum but also the most visited. The museum, which opened in January 2011, is owned by eccentric and philanthropist David Walsh, who made his fortune as a professional gambler, and features one of the largest private art collections in the world with an estimated value of around A$100 million.Its motto is to shock, offend, inform and entertain. “It definitely chal-

Image shows a Michael Jackson ‘Beat It’ style jacket used on stage during the 1992-1993 Dangerous Tour.

An undated image released by Julien’s Auctions, shows a Michael Jackson’s HIStory costume consisting of a jacket with hanging belt and denim pants, designed by Tompkins & Bush.

—AP photos

trio of “indie Hindi” films are bringing a new Indian cinema to the Cannes Film Festival, where Bollywood stars like to spice up the red carpet but their movies seldom create a serious buzz. Dealing with corruption and coal mafias, impotency and the porn industry, the films in this year’s line-up are part of a burgeoning, alternative Bollywood that departs from commercial song-and-dance hits so popular at home.”

Indian cinema is coming of age. We are ready to interact with filmmakers from across the world,” said Anurag Kashyap, who has a hand in two of the productions showing at Cannes. Kashyap directed the longest-running entry in the festival, “Gangs of Wasseypur”, a five hour and 20 minute film he describes as “a Bollywoodinfluenced gangster epic, part Western, part documentary.”

With a folk-meets-dubstep soundtrack and a basis in true stories, the film follows three generations of coal and scrap-trade mafia gangs in a suburb in east India who are obsessed with traditional Hindi cinema.” These people grow up wanting to be gangsters, they don’t go to school or colleges, they watch Bollywood,” he told AFP. “Everyone has a false sense of film screen heroism that they follow.” Over coffee and roll-up cigarettes at his Mumbai apartment, Kashyap confessed he was “like a zombie” after rushing to finish the two-part film in time for the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar section of the Cannes festival.”But it’s been fun making this film and the good thing is the fun is translating to other parts of the world,” he said.

lenges your interpretation of what artis,” said Malnic.

Pieces include Chris Ofili’s Holy Virgin Mary, which features elephant dung and porn-magazine cutouts of genitals. It caused controversy in 1996, with then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani reportedly describing Ofili’s work as “sick”. Another much-talked-about piece is the Matrix by Jenny Saville, a full-frontal large painting of a naked transgender man with his modified genitals exposed. “It’s confronting,” said Margarita Silva, a Melbourne-based dentist making during her third trip to the MONA.—Reuters

Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap speaks during an interview in Mumbai on May 12, 2012. — AFP

Image shows Michael Jackson jacket worn on stage for the opening of the BAD concert tour designed by Tompkins and Bush.

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ichael Jackson’s glittery gloves, spangled jackets, stage-worn costumes and personal fashion effects are going on a world tour. Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien says clothing created by Jackson’s long-time costume designers will be exhibited in South America, Europe and Asia before being sold to the highest bidder in December. The exhibit opens May 18 at the Museo de la Moda in Santiago, Chile. It features items such as Jackson’s Captain EO shirt, the black spandex outfit from his “Scream” video and the breakaway suit he wore during his BAD tour in the late 1980s. The items will be sold by Julien’s Auction on December 2, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Guide Dogs of America and Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. — AP

Image shows a wood board fitted with large silver bolts which slide into the custom cut heels of a pair of customized black leather loafers.

Image shows a Michael Jackson right handed glove covered in crystals, designed by Tompkins & Bush.

He is also excited about the experimental “Peddlers”, backed by his Anurag Kashyap Films production house, which is running in the other main sidebar section at Cannes, Critics’ Week. Directed by newcomer Vasan Bala and financed through appeals on Facebook, the Mumbai-based movie “takes on subject matters which are normal and everywhere but still considered taboo in cinema,” Kashyap said. “Like a man dealing with his own impotency, and how it brings out the violence in him, and quite fearlessly the camera just lingers on, watches these lives, almost like a voyeur.”

After blazing a trail for two decades in the industry, Kashyap is a reluctant producer. He sees himself as a director at heart and says he only set up his production house so he could make his own kind of films.”That company has become a monster of its own. It’s a good monster,” he laughed. The group aims to “find these new voices and independent filmmakers and be their support system.” Kashyap believes the role of social networking will grow in funding future indie productions by appealing to Indian cinephiles who want something other than the typical action-packed, romantic, comedy musical.

“Mainstream Bollywood has always been there and it caters to people who need it, but the other kind of cinema is almost absent,” he said. The mainstream itself is starting to grapple with broader content, but the fact it operates in a movie-mad country of 1.2 billion people could be to blame for the slow pace of change. “Our strength is that we don’t need to sell one ticket to a non-Indian, world over, to sustain ourselves, and that’s also our weakness, because it’s precisely the reason that we don’t grow,” said Kashyap.

His thoughts were echoed by Ashim Ahluwalia, director of “Miss Lovely”, the third Indian film screening at Cannes in the “Un Certain Regard” part of the main competition, which showcases new talent. “I would love to see more individuality, more unique films. And for sure, less ‘stars’ and less predictability,” he told AFP in an email from Berlin, where he is doing post-production on the film.

Like Kashyap, Ahluwalia distances himself from traditional Bollywood but has a fascination with elements of Indian cinema: his “very gritty and dark” film depicts the sleazy world of 1980s “C” grade Hindi movies. “I was interested in the lower depths of the industry, people who make cheap films on the margins-sex horror films, bandit films,” he said. India’s presence at Cannes is generating high expectations: “2012 could be the beginning of a new romance between film festivals and Hindi cinema,” said a column in the daily Hindustan Times.

Kashyap, who is working with British “Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny Boyle on a film about 1960s Mumbai, hopes the exposure can help to change perceptions of Indian cinema and boost ties with foreign filmmakers.”When our films have been travelling to various festivals there have been some incredible eyeopening experiences with the audiences, the way they look at us and the way they are surprised with what we’re doing,” he said. — AFP